Sasusaku: Everything You Are
by broken-heart-crossing
Summary: Sakura finds herself with a new family and a bad brother; she then gets some new power on a mission. She starts to lose everything and then some missing nin's show up, wanting her and her power. Rated M for future Lemons... I don't own Naruto. Sasusaku...
1. Hienssight

Chapter 1: Hines-sight

"What?!?" Sakura yelped. She was standing in her living room facing her parents who were sitting on the couch. Her parents just told her that she had a second family. Her dad and mom had actually been separated for about 13 years, and just now decided to tell her about her second family.

"I'm sorry honey, but your mom and I was best not to tell you. You were going through a hard time trying to become a genin when we split, you were only four years old. And the longer we waited the harder it got to tell you. I know we should have but everyone makes mistakes." Her dad said getting up off the couch and walking towards her. Something about the movement made Sakura uneasy so she step back as he stepped forward. When he saw this he stop moving and stood still.

Sakura felt tears sting her eyes. How could they deceive her like this? How could they keep a whole family away from her? Then she thought back and realise how easy it should have been to see it all. The phone calls her dad got late at night, the hours he spent on them. His business meetings all weekend. Her mom's sad looks all through the years, but not sad that she lost her husband, but sad for Sakura. And then how her dad never kissed her mom anymore. How could all of that been so easy to miss? Even through all the hard times it should have been easy to see... how could she been so blind? It was so easy to see now.

"I'm sorry Sakura. We never meant for it to drag on for this lo--" her mom started but then was cut off by Sakura.

"When you say second family, who consist in it?" Sakura said looking at the soft light pink carpet. Her mom has always been obsessed with pink, it was her trade mark color. Sakura always hated it. She always thought that just because her hair was pink didn't mean everything had to be. Apparently her mom thought different.

Sakura's mom and dad shared a quick glace and then her dad looked back at her. "You have a little brother who is five years old, his name is Ehuro, but of course we call him 'E'. Then you have another little brother who is 12 years old, his name is Manhino, and then a little sister who was just born six months ago. Her name is Sahuna. They are great kids, you'll love them Sakura. Then, there is your step-mom. She's amazing... her name is Kahiro Yakushi. She is gre-" Sakura cut him off.

"What was that name?" Sakura heard that name before, that name, Yakushi. Sakura's eyes widened with shock. Could she have heard right?

Her dad looked puzzled, he looked at Sakura with confused eyes and he spoke with careful words. "Kahiro Yakushi..."

Sakura closed her eyes to the sudden rush of... a rush of _something. _Was it confusion, was it surprise, was it hope, was it hate? Her fists were squeezed tight when she realise that it was all of them, it was confusion, surprise, hope, hate. But mostly it was anger. She wiped around to stare at the mom and then her dad.

"Yakushi..." She tried to be calm but her body was shaking along with her voice. Shaking from anger. He dad nodded at her, but at the same time he took a couple steps back, afraid of Sakura's angry expression and the fire in her emerald eyes. Ever sense Sakura found her new strength and short temper span, everyone was afraid to be around her when she was filled with rage. Her father first handily seen Sakura hit Naruto so hard that he hit the village wall and it cracked; they were standing at the academy which is in the middle of the village.

At her fathers nod she became more angry, her finger nails dug into the skin on her palm drawing blood that she ignored. She could tell that her father had no idea of what the name ment to her. She squeezed her eyes together trying to push the angry that filled her head, but she couldn't. It was still there. She looked at her father again, and again he took a few steps back.

"Yakushi... as in...." Sakura couldn't say his name. Her dad still stared at the with fear, worry, and confusion. Sakura clenched her teeth together and then sighed. "Does this woman, Kahiro Yakushi, have any kids of her own?" Sakura asked her dad.

Her dad got even more confused at the question and then nodded. He then said very carefully as not to try to make her even more angry, "She has another kid, um, she doesn't talk about him much. He is a little older then you... Um, I think his name is... um... oh, I think his name is Kabuto. Yeah, that's it Kabuto."

Sakura looked at her mom and then dad, even more angry than before. Her dad didn't know who he was? He is a missing nin from Konoha and he still doesn't know the name. Sakura looked back at her mom and her mom's face was filled with surprise, too. Her mom of course knew who Kabuto was. Sakura cried a lot long ago, all over her lost team mate, and why he left. Kabuto's name came up several times. He was the medic for another missing nin, Orochimaru, and was also traveling with her missing nin/ ex- team mate/the cause of her broken heart, Sasuke Uchiha. She stopped her train of thought before it could go any further, and pushed the thought of Sasuke out of her mind.

"Oh, my dear..." Sakura's mom whispered, and Sakura's dad looked at her mom with a puzzled look. Their eyes met, and then Sakura's mom began to explain. "Kabuto Yakushi is a missing nin from this village, he is the medical nin for Orochimaru and... well I am sure you know what that means..." her mother said to her father. But he didn't know what it ment, he stared at her with confused eyes. Her mom sighed and then looked over Sakura, but Sakura was barely paying attention. Sakura stood by the fire place, her eyes seeing nothing in this room, her mind far away, her hands clenched, knuckles white, and red blood dripping off of them. Sakura's mom turned back to her father, and she said "Sasuke Uchiha is also traveling with them. At the name Sakura flinched and before she could do anything she stalked out of the house, headed towards the training grounds, ready to let out her dangerous anger and hate.

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Sakura and her dad were walking across the village. She was going to see her newly found family. It was all the way across the village, to a part were she has only been a few times to do something for Tsunade. This is the part of the village where all the bars and gambling places are. Of course, Tsunade had been here plenty of times, when she could get away from Shizune. Even though, there were a lot of taverns and gambling places here it was actually a nice place. Kids all around were running and playing. The adults here were always kind, always a bit drunk, but kind.

Sakura and her father walked through the streets of playing kids and tipsy adults, and then they came to a house that made Sakura feel very peaceful. The outside of the house was made out of gray stones. It had two stories and four windows that she could see, two on the bottom and two on the top. The door was made out of wood and was brown, but for some reason the house made Sakura feel welcome, like she belonged. Then, Sakura heard nosies coming from the inside. A baby crying, a kid's footsteps running around the top floor, and a mother's demanding order come from the bottom floor. Sakura looked up at her father, and he had a smile on his face. He ran a hand through his white hair, and stepped forward.

Sakura has always looked more like her mom, and was glad of it. Sakura would rather have pink hair then white. Then, Sakura wondered what her half- family would look like. With this thought turning into curiosity, Sakura followed her father up the steps and into the house.

The first thing Sakura noticed was the warmth of the house. It was a warm day outside, but in here it was a little warmer, more welcoming. Then, she noticed the smell, the smell of cinnamon, and baby's skin, and and musty with a little sweat. Sakura thought that the smell seemed more welcoming then the warmth. Then, Sakura noticed the place. The house was not clean, in fact it was a little messy. Toys were everywhere, baby diapers (not used, I mean they weren't that messy), and there were dishes and dirty close everywhere. I guess it would be a little hard to keep the house clean with three kids to take care of and no one to help you, so Sakura dismissed the mess and looked at a very pretty woman in front of her and her father, holding a very cute and sweet baby.

"Welcome! I'm Kahiro, I've heard so much about you..." The woman said, and then without warning gave Sakura an uncomfortable hug, being careful with the baby. Then she looked at Sakura's father and smiled. Sakura almost puked when she saw them kiss and hug. She was almost ready to go and destroy the rest of the forest that she left from her breakdown yesterday. But Sakura just looked away and searched the room. When her father and Kahiro separated Sakura looked up and down at the woman.

Kahiro had long white gray (I guess she wasn't as lucky as Sakura was), and she had dark eyes and a round face. She wore a long skirt that was made out of a silk material with white and red flower splattered across a white background, and her shirt was plain white with a small symbol in the top left hand corner. The symbol was, of course the Haruno clan symbol, but that didn't surprise Sakura. The woman, over all looked very familiar. She look, overall, like a girl version of Kabuto.

The woman smiled at Sakura, and Sakura couldn't help but smile back, Kahiro made this all seem so welcome and Sakura felt, actually, at home. The thought that Sakura was comfortable here surprised her. She had thought that this experience would be awkward and uncomfortable, but it wasn't. I was very pleasent and homey.

"Hi, thank-you for letting me come and meet you guys," Sakura said with a smile of her own. Kahiro smiled even wider, and then turned to announce to her children.

"E, Manhino! Come down here please," she yelled loud enough so they could here. After she got done announcing he demand, Sakura heard footsteps running down the stairs and another set of footsteps walking toward the stairs.

The first boy Sakura seen was the one she assumed to be Ehuro, he looked about five. Sakura gasped when she saw his features. He looked almost like a mini-me of her father. Gray hair cut short around his face, and emerald eyes like Sakura's and her fathers. The only thing that wasn't like her fathers was the shape of his face. Ehuro had a round shape face like Kahiro, and Sakura's father had a longer face.

"Daddy!" Ehuro yelped and ran towards her father, _their _father with gusto. Sakura's father bent down and gathered the boy up in his arms. The boy hugged their father passionately and said, "I'm glad your home!"

"I'm glad I'm home, too," their father said. Then her father put the boy down and then boy backed away from the man. The boy then noticed Sakura and smiled bashfully and took cover behind his mothers slim legs.

The next boy was Manhino, he too looked similar to their father, but also looked like his mom. He had gray hair that grew out in all directions, pointed in every single way. He also had a forehead protector tucked under neath a set of short cut bangs and had a long face like their father's, but he had dark eyes like his mother's. He didn't say anything he just went and stood by Kahiro with his hands in his pockets, but he did nod his head in their father's direction and then looked at me with an unreadable expression.

Sakura looked then at the baby that Kahiro help within her grasp. The baby girl whose name must have be Sahuna. She had chubby cheeks that Sakura felt the need to kiss and her eyes were the most startling color of dark emerald. Her face was also rounded to her mother's face. She smiled and played with a necklace that was hanging from her mother's neck. She smiled and moaned and cooed, just like any baby would. She was wrapped in a soft looking blanket, even though it was plenty warm enough in the house.

"Who's she?" Manhino asked, he sounded rather rude, but it was understandable. Sakura just looked at him and smiled sadly. The news must have been hard for them, or do they even know?

"Manhino!" Kahiro scolded at the 12 year old. The boy just looked at his mother and then back at me with... it looked like hate.

"Kids, this is your older sister, Sakura. Remember the one I told you all about. She came to meet you all," her father said then he turned his attention to Sakura and smiled. "Sakura this is Manhino, Ehuro, and Sahuna," he said pointing to each child in turn. Sakura smiled at them all and then nodded.

"Hi, I'm Sakura. It's nice to meet you all," Sakura said to them. Ehuro blushed behind his mother and hid his face all except one lighted eye.

"Hi, Sakura. I'm Ehuro. But you can call me E," E said in a very high voice, full of life and excitement. Sakura smiled at him and he smiled back. Then, Sakura heard Manhino scoff at the little boy.

"Suck-up," Manhino said in a low tone remarking his little brother. Kahiro kept her eyes on Sakura but reached up and smacked the boy on the back of the head. Manhino looked over at her sharply.

"Oww, what was that for?" he asked rubbing the back of his head.

"Say 'hello'," Kahiro demanded at him and then smiled at Sakura. Sakura smiled back and then looked at Manhino. He looked away and closed his eyes and folded his arms across his chest.

"Hi," was all he said. But Sakura smiled anyway.

"Hi, Manhino," Sakura said. He looked at her from the corner of his eye, and then closed them again. Sakura could tell that he would be the hardest to get along with.

"And this is Sahuna," Kahiro said. Rocking the little girl in her arms and smiling down at her.

Sakura looked at the baby once more and then at Kahiro. She seemed so happy to have a son that was a missing nin and wanted to destroy the village. She didn't even looked like it bothered her, but I guess after a few years of him missing she could have buried the burden like Sakura did with Sasuke. Sakura pushed the thought of Sasuke away, and focused more at the present. Then, Sakura started to think. If Kabuto has only been a missing nin for about four years then he must have known about Manhino and E. Wouldn't he? Does that mean that he knew about this whole thing, about me being his step- sister. Being Kabuto and as sharp as he is, he probably knew.

Sakura smiled at her new family and then the night started to drift by with a crawling time.

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Soon enough, it was time for Sakura to leave. It was starting to get dark and she'd been at her family's home for almost 8 hours. In the meantime she had become very close to her family. E and her were playing with Sahuna on the floor. Sakura's father was right, these kids were so sweet and amazing. Even Manhino had opened up a little. Only a little they talked about how being a genin was, and he asked her how being Jounin was. Sakura smiled at him and said that it was awesome. That's when he said that his dream was to become hokage. Sakura smiled at that and thought of Naruto and Konohamaru. She told him to never give up and eventually it will come true. At that he smiled at her and then headed off to the training grounds to get some training in before dark.

Even Sakura and her step- mom became close. Sakura helped her clean up the house and take care of Sahuna and they talked about how stubborn and demanding and how pig-headed her father was. Sakura didn't think she had laughed so hard in her life. It surprised Sakura of how close her and her new family had gotten in just 8 hours.

"Will you be back tomorrow?" E asked Sakura as she was saying farewell. She thought about it and smiled at the boy. She bent down to his level so that they were face to face.

"Actually, I have to go on a mission tomorrow. But I'll be back soon, and I'll come and see you. Okay?" Then E smiled and surprised Sakura with a hug full of passion and gusto. The way he hugged her father this morning. Sakura smiled and wrapped the boy in a equally passionate hug. Then let go and looked at Manhino. He smiled and nodded.

"See ya, Manhino," Sakura nodded and smiled back. Then she looked at Kahiro. Kahiro gave Sakura a hug but this one wasn't as awkward as the one before, because of Sahuna on the floor sleeping.

"Come back soon!" Kahiro said and then back away from Sakura.

"I will," Sakura said to her then she looked at her father and nodded with a smile. Her father nodded back and then put his arm around Kahiro.

"Be careful Sakura," he said. Then Sakura turned and walked out the door to the cozy house, out onto the streets that would take her back to her own home. The street lights were now lighting the streets because of the sun dropping out of sight and darkness encircling the village. Sakura could keep a smile off of her face as she walked through the street.

She thought to herself that they all may look some what like Kabuto but they certainly don't act like him. That she was thankful for.

She walked down the streets that were still filled with tipsy adults but less children playing. She soon got close to the village entrance, she soon wished that there was another way home than this way, but there wasn't. She stopped walking when she saw that bench, the one he left her on all those years ago. She debated on just keep walking, but then she walked to the bench and sat down. She leaned forward and put her elbows on her knees and enter-twined her fingers thinking.

Without her permission, memories flooded back to her mind. She looked at the ground where she stood confessing all her love to him. Then where he stood telling her that they were meant for different paths and that she could follow him. How she cried that night, her heart breaking down and crumbling to the mercy of him. Then she looked at the spot where he appeared behind her and he knocked her out with a gentle touch to the back of her neck. The memories painted colorful pictures across her eyes, reminding her of how she wasn't strong enough to make him stay, to make him realize that she needed him. She just made him want to leave more, made him turn his back on the village, on team 7, on her. He left because he was tired of solitude, and he left to get power to avenge the cause of that solitude. She remembered how she told him that if he left she would then be a subject to solitude as well. Sakura sighed as his words echoed through her head.

"Sakura.... thank-you," he said. Again and again she heard these words in her mind. She doesn't know how many times she had thought about that moment sense he left.

Now it should have been easy to see, looking back on all the times he grieved over his family and raged over his brother, she should have seen it coming, she and he both knew that he needed more power to make his dream come true. She and he both knew that he couldn't get a lot of that power staying here in Konoha. She should have seen that he would eventually leave to get as much power as he could. She should have realised that before she actually did and stopped it from breaking her heart. She should have seen it all, it was so easy to see, she just had over looked it somehow.

Recently she tried to bury all thoughts and feeling for him. After there last encounter he tried to kill Naruto, Sai, and Captin Yamato. She tried to stop him again but again she wasn't strong enough. Yamato knew that and jumped in to stop him from hurting her.

She told Naruto not to cry that they would get him back no matter what that cost them. But she knew that Sasuke wouldn't come back until he wanted to, and it was very doubtful that he would ever want to. If he really did cut all bonds that connected him to this village and her and Naruto and even Kakashi, then it was likely that he wouldn't ever come back to them. With that disturbing sense of reality coming clear to her shortly after that encounter, she tried to bury any hope and feeling she had for him. Knowing that most likely he wouldn't ever come back to them, she buried her true self and started to build a mask of what she wanted to feel and wanted people to see.

She knew the truth but she couldn't tell Naruto that. She didn't want him to get mad at her. He would, he would never except that Sasuke may never return let alone that they might never even see him again. Deep down he probably knew it anyway, but still refused to believe it.

Now, Sakura had the mask of being strong and just knowing that Sasuke wouldn't come back. She was strong, caring, brave, smart, and she no longer felt anything toward her former team mate. But underneath the mask she was still hurting, still crying, still scared, still stupidly in love with him. She knew it but she would not let anyone else see anything past the mask. The only one who could see past the mask was Naruto. She didn't let him, he'd just seen though it all. Even Kakashi had seen past her mask a little, but not as much as Naruto had. Her mask said that he will not come back, inside said that she was _hoping _he'll come back.

Sakura sighed and leaned back. She knew that she still had moments where she had strong hopes that Sasuke would return, but reality would soon set in and wash the hopes away. Everyone thought that she was just still chasing him because Naruto still hasn't gave up. But the truth was that she was still hoping. More than Sakura would ever admit she still loved Sasuke like she did then. She still wanted to chase him all in the sense that he might chance his heart's decision and come back with them, even though reality said that he would never come back.

Sakura soon pushed any memories away that concerned the team, and focused on tomorrow. She had a mission. The team that would be set out on the mission would consist of her, Hinata, Shikamaru and Tenten. She was the medical ninja on the team, Hinata could find who they were looking for, Shikamaru, team leader, had the brains and could hold them in place with his Shadow Possession Jutsu, and Tenten who was perfect with her aim of weapons. Their mission was to track down a person by the name of Kenyu Horiuchi, who was said to be experimenting and searching for a kind of powerful Jutsu that could take out a whole village, something about taking power from many people, killing them, and giving it all to one person. He plans on using it on himself when the Jutsu is complete, we have to stop him before that happens. Apparently, he has some kind of grudge against this village. Tsunade was pretty closed caption on that subject.

Naruto was already on a mission, one he complained about, as usual. He got the mission to escort a group of stamp collectors across the fire country. They were worried that someone would try to capture the very rare stamp of heaven. "The Heaven Stamp" they called it. Naruto went with Neji, Kiba, Akamaru, and Ino. Sakura felt bad for Ino, being the only girl on that team, but being the only other Chunin medical ninja available she had to go. And considering the fact that the only mature one on that team would be Neji, i felt bad for him, too.

Sakura thought that she should go home and get some sleep. They were suppose to leave at dawn. So she got up looking around her and heard the words whispered again, as if they were spoke in her ear. "Sakura... thank-you." Sakura sighed and started to walk home once again, ready to get some sleep in her comfy bed.

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That night Sakura dreamed of her new family and Sasuke. She dreamed that Sasuke would return home to find Sakura had a new family that she just found out about and he would feel bad for her. She was kept out of one of the most important things in her life. She didn't even know she wasn't alone. Sasuke felt bad for himself because he had a family and it was taken from him and Sakura didn't have a real family, she had a broken one, and then she got a family that wasn't broken. Then, Sasuke was happy for her, seeing how happy E, Manhino, Sahuna, and Kahiro had made her. They really had gave her something to be happy in, something to believe in, something that wouldn't let her down. E was so happy all the time, nothing small could break him and he had made Sakura feel strong and welcome in that hard time. Manhino gave her a sense of reality, he was so down to earth and truthful that it all kept her truthful to herself and kept her from floating away. Sahuna was so cute and, like E, was always so happy. She gave her a sense of passion and beauty that Sakura felt at peace. Then there was Kahiro, even though her son was Kabuto, a missing nin that could destroy the village, she was still so happy. She gave Sakura a sense of dreams, hopes and wishes coming true. She brought heaven down on top of Sakura and pushed all evil from hell away. She freed Sakura from Nightmares and gave her peaceful dreams. Sakura was happy, and so was Sasuke. Sasuke would then take in Sakura's new family as his own and stay with Sakura forever.

Then like that the dream slipped away. Hopes and wishes faded away again with the reality of waking up alone in bed, again. Sakura turned in her bed to look at the ceiling. It was still dark out, but she still had to get up. She was to leave at dusk. So she stretched her arms over her head and extended her legs as long as they would go. She, then, got up and put on her shorts that went under her light pink skirt. Then, she put on her black tank-top that fit her curves tightly. It had netting that went around the top and covered her cleavage, and it also had netting that was at the bottom, that covered her stomach.

On her chest she had a small emerald diamond, Tsunade suggested it. When ever she could Sakura would store chakra in it. It was the same thing that Tsunade had on her forehead. It was green because that was her chakra's signature color, Tsunade's was blue. Sakura could even use the same jutsu that Tsunade can. Restore the cells in her body by releasing the chakra stored in it. She had only used it once before before Naruto was even back from his two year training. She was fighting a ninja from the hidden rock village, it was her mission to bring him in to interrogation for information on the Akatsuki. He was tough to bring in, just like she knew he'd be. He was, actually Deidara's younger brother. He could also use the clay-bomb jutsu, just not as good as Deidara. She had succeeded in bringing him in, and another mission completed.

Sakura put on her red vest over her under shirt. It had her clan symbol on the back. Then, Sakura wrapped some white wrap along her thigh and put on her kunai holster. Then, she put on her tan pack that holds all her ninja tools on the backside of her right hip. Then, the finally she put her forehead protector in her hair. She checked herself in the mirror and looked out the window. The sky was starting to become lighter, light enough to see. So she set out with her backpack that she had pack the night before.

When she reached the village entrance/exit she found Shikamaru and Hinata there. She looked at the sky again. The sun wasn't up yet but the sky was bluing up. They still had a little more time to wait for Tenten.

"H-hello Sakura," Hinata said her black hair pushed behind her ears, her usual outfit on and her eyes as clear as ever. Sakura always liked Hinata's and Neji's eyes. She had always wished that she could do the things that they could.

"Hello Hinata. Good morning Shikamaru," Sakura said, and Shikamaru nodded to her. Sakura nodded to each and then leaned against the stone wall prepared to wait. She didn't even have to wait two minutes before Tenten had showed up.

"Sorry I'm a little late, I hate having a house on the other side of the village. I need to start getting up earlier," Tenten said out of breath. She had apparently been running, to get here. She wasn't late, the sun was just now barely visible on the horizon, letting us know that now was dusk. Now was dusk. The all turned and started to walk out of the village limits. When they were out the doors closed behind them and then they started to jump and run across the trees and they ran as the birds started to signal a new day. Sakura wondered what was ahead of them and what would happen. Little did she know that when she set sight on that village hidden in the leafs, she would be a completely new person.


	2. Stronger

Chapter 2: Stronger

The sun was high in the sky, it was about mid-day when they reached "The Valley of the End." Sakura looked at the statues of the founders of the village hidden in the leafs. They had stopped for a break here. This is where Naruto told her that him and Sasuke battled it out when he left. Sakura now knew that he was right. At the waist of each of the statues was a whole that cut out the thighs of the founders, letting the world know that a battle took place here. The river flowed between the two founders, facing each other ready for battle. Madara Uchiha and the first hokage, Hasjirama Senju were the founders. They disagreed on how to run the village resulting in a battle between the two here at the "Valley of the End." Hasjirama won against Madara, and then villagers build the great statues that stand here now.

They were headed to the Lightning Country, this is where the man, Kenyu Horiuchi was last seen. Sakura could also help but think about Sasuke. They were so close to where the Sound Village was said to be. Just across the Fire country's border. On the other side of "The Valley of the End" She could help but looking around her across the valley, to see if maybe she would see him. To her unsurprised disappointment she saw no one. She turned back to her team.

"Sakura, do you want a rice ball?" Hinata help out a rice ball to Sakura, and Sakura took it with a smile.

"Thank-you Hinata," Sakura said to the shy girl. Sakura smiled at how Hinata loved Naruto and how blind Naruto is not to see it.

"Um, you're welcome," Hinata said back with a shy smile. Everyone else was already eating their rice balls.

Tenten was searching through her scrolls making sure she had all that she needed.

Shikamaru was laying on the ground cloud watching mumbling something about how women were such a drag, and Sakura felt the need to hit him, but thought better of it. He was on a mission with three girls who were dangerous, Sakura was sure he realised that and that was why he was mumbling it, not saying it out to everyone. Shikamaru was smart enough that a mistake like that would be bad. Making women mad was always bad, they never felt the need to hold anything back. Sakura smiled at that.

Hinata was searching the surroundings with her Byakugan. Sakura watched her search and then apparently finding nothing turn it off and start to eat her rice ball. Sakura wished that she could do what Hinata could do. Naruto was lucky to have such a cool girl with an awesome ability to like him. Sakura could always see them together. She knew it would happen at anytime now. All Naruto had to do was realise that Hinata loved him and everything would be set. Destiny would then start to weave itself between them tieing them together for life.

Sakura then sighed. She started to think about her family. Her mom, dad, syblings, and step-mom. She wondered what they were doing right now. After only meeting them yesterday and spending only 8 hours with them, she hated to admit to herself that she was hooked. She loved her new family. It was almost disturbing on how they all made her so welcome and how attracted to them all she was. She sighed again thinking about her dream the night before and how indeed each one had an effect on her.

"What's with all the sighing, Sakura?" Shikamaru's voice cut through Sakura's thoughts like a chainsaw. Sakura turned and faced him. Maybe she should tell them, it was killing her to have only told Tsunade and she had already known. Tsunade felt that it was not her place to have told Sakura, but yet she knew all along. Naruto wasn't back yet when she found out so he couldn't have told him. So she decided to tell them all.

But then she decided to tell them nothing. Naruto would be the one to know first. It was only fair.

"It's nothing," Sakura said simply.

"Is it about you're new family?" Shikamaru said boringly. Sakura felt surprised, her eyes widened and everyone's attention turned to Shikamaru.

"What do you mean, 'new family'?" Hinata asked.

"Sakura has a new family. Turns out that she has three more brothers and a sister," Sakura again felt surprised. Shikamaru knew. He didn't just know about the second family he knew about Kabuto, too. He said three brothers not two. Sakura was surprised at first but then it would alway be amazing that anything got past Shikamaru's attention. So Sakura thought that it wasn't that surprising that Shikamaru had found out about this. So Sakura smiled and took another bite of her rice roll.

"I don't count the third one as my brother," I said simply. It was true, Kabuto wasn't my brother. He never would be my family. Shikamaru smirked and rolled back over to continue cloud watching.

"I didn't know you had syblings," Tenten said to Sakura. Sakura shrugged.

"I didn't know either until two days ago," Sakura said images of her new family passed through her head. She smiled at them all and enjoyed another bite for her rice roll. She could feel Hinata and Tenten's eyes on her as she looked out at the rushing waters of the river.

"Have you met them yet?" Hinata said, her voice high pitched. Sakura looked at her and smiled.

"Yes, I have. I have a sister who is six months old, her name is Sahuna; a brother who is five, his name is Ehuro; and another brother who is 12, his name is Manhino," Sakura explained.

"I thought Shika just said that you had three brothers," Tenten pushed. She looked back down at her scrolls but Hinata stayed focused on Sakura who was still studying the rushing waters below.

"No, I only have two brothers," Sakura said. She felt Tenten look at her but then she shrugged and started to study her scrolls once more. Hinata looked at Sakura, but she sense that Sakura didn't like the subject of a third brother. She left it all at that. Sakura continued to study and watch a never-ending flow of water.

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"Kabuto," Orochimaru's voice was like ice sliding across a wooden floor. The annoyance of it was disturbing every time it happened. That's what Sasuke thought every time he heard it. They all were sitting in the dining hall. The room smelled of nasty food and mud that came from the walls surrounding them. It's the smell that came with being in an underground layer. Sasuke had been in many underground layers and had gotten use to the smell that most would almost puke at. Him, Orochimaru, and Kabuto sat at a wooden table. Sasuke was hunched over his plate of food. Trying to ignore them but he has found the past few years that it was hard to ignore him. Not because that he was scary, just because his voice was so annoying. It was always dark in the underground tunnels, with only a few candles lighting the spaces. Orochimaru's face was darkly shadowed in some parts like the eyes, but brightly light in some place like the predominate cheek bones. Kabuto was the same way.

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru?" Kabuto looked at his Lord, with question in his eyes.

"Did you gather that information I asked you to?" Orochimaru asked.

"Yes, I did," Kabuto smiled at his Lord.

"Please elaborate," Orochimaru said with a satisfied hiss.

"The researches of Kenyu Horiuchi are starting to come to a close. He has almost developed the jutsu. It is indeed a jutsu that would take power from others and give it all to one person. It is suppose to also give what ever characteristics of the person that is being killed to the person who is receiving the power. Any knowledge, any skills, any... kekkei genkai's. Even all the memories go into the person receiving the power. It is the most complicated jutsu, I've ever seen. Kenyu Horiuchi uses lightning to transfer the power to one person to the other. It is hurtful to both, but only fatal to the one. The only thing he has to do is figure out the right symbols that he needs to write on the floor to complete the jutsu, and he has already written half of them. I'd say it would take it another two days before the jutsu is finished," Kabuto explained.

"Mmm, wonderful," Orochimaru let out another satisfied hiss, accompanied by a slender smile. "Kabuto, is anyone of the villages aware of this jutsu, will there be any one that can steel Kenyu from us?"

"Only Konoha, but I don't think the team Tsunade sent will be enough to stop us. There is only one on the team who could do us any harm," Kabuto said but Sasuke could feel Kabuto's gaze on him.

"Who is in this team?" Orochimaru asked Kabuto, suspisious of Kabuto's glare at his apprentice.

Kabuto turned his gaze back on Orochimaru and smiled. "Shikamaru Nara, Hinata Hyuuga, a girl named Tenten, and..." Kabuto paused and looked back at Sasuke. Sasuke looked up from his rotten food and gave Kabuto a deathly glare. But Kabuto wasn't swayed he just smiled and then looked back at Orochimaru and said, "and Sakura Haruno."

Sasuke tried not to flinch from the name of the girl he left on the bench on that bench all those years ago. The only girl that loved him. The one who he had cut off. He acted like the name didn't mean anything. Only he knew that it still did. It was the only girl who had actually ever cared.

"Mm, I see what you mean. A weak team indeed. But who is the one that could do us harm? I fail to see anyone of them even dreaming of doing us harm," Orochimaru hissed.

"Sakura Haruno has become very strong in the sense of training under Tsunade. Last time we meet she could have probably broken all the bones in my body with just one solid punch. She has also become very accustomed to pain. And in the sense that last time we meet up on the Heaven and Earth bridge, someone had to have killed Sasori, and lived to see his form. I did some research," Kabuto said.

"Mm, interesting... You mean to tell me that Sakura Haruno..." Orochimaru confirmed. Kabuto nodded. Sasuke didn't know what they were referring, too. He wondered what Sakura could have done to make her self so interesting to Orochimaru. He waited for the next words and were so surprised at what he heard.

"Indeed, Sakura Haruno killed Sasori of the Akatsuki..." Kabuto stated. It was a challenge for Sasuke to not show what he was feeling at this moment. His mind was screaming unbelieving. Sakura had actually become strong enough to kill an Akatsuki member. Sasuke knew she had gotten stronger but to be that strong. He had been training for 2 years just to kill a certain member, she trained for 2 years to kill anyone she might need to. He was focusing on one person becoming strong enough to kill this one. Sakura was strong enough to kill Sasori of the sand, it could have been anyone of the Akatsuki. It was hard to see that little girl so devoted to him once, become a strong, short tempered, killing kunoichi.

"Mm, interesting. She may indeed become a problem. Where are they now?" Orochimaru asked the medical nin.

"Last I checked they were seen just out side the Fire Country... actually not too far from the Sound Village. Do you want me to take the team out, or just Sakura?" Kabuto asked.

Sasuke almost flinched, but instead his joints tightened and he wanted desperately to hit the medical nin. He just sat and waited for Orochimaru's answer.

It took longer than necessary for Orochimaru to answer, "No, Kabuto. I don't think it necessary for you to kill any of them. I just want you to go to this Kenyu Horiuchi, and wait for him to finish the jutsu. Then, once he is done bring him here and we'll force him to tell us everything he knows," Orochimaru's grin darkened his face and a hiss came from his mouth, it sounded blood thirsty.

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Sasuke laid in his bed on his back. He couldn't see anything in the dark, but his mind was showing him things he'd already witnessed. His mind played pictures of Sakura. The weak one. Then his mind played pictures of Sakura. The determined, strong one. The one he'd only see only a few months ago. The one that ran after him with chakra ball around her fist ready to hit him. Comparing them, the two Sakura's, they seemed like completely different people. Could she really have changed so much? Back then she wouldn't have wanted him in any pain. Now, she was set on causing it to him. Was this dramatic change because he left? Did it have anything to do with him? Or was it just because she was tired of being weak? Maybe it was both? Sasuke didn't know if he liked the old Sakura or the new one better. He didn't know what to think. So he just played memories.

"I love you so much that I can hardly stand it!" Her voice cut through the night air like a whip. Her voice so sweet, so devoted, but then so sad, so desperate, so hurt. It almost killed him to hear that. Was she trying to make it this hard? He wanted to turn around and hug her, but then he wanted to run away. Was he that afraid of solitude that he'd turn around and hug her? Yes, he was. Was he that afraid of love that he'd run away from it? Yes, he was. He wanted to say it back but pictures of his brother and his dead family kept him from doing anything. The reason he'd stop to listen to what she said was because maybe there was still hope that he could turn around and be happy again. But then after all her crying and boasting about how much she loved him, he new that even though he have her love him he still wouldn't be happy. He had to kill Itachi. He had to avenge his clans death.

"If you go, I'll scream and--" He appered behind her. He didn't want to admit that when he was there he wanted to stroke her soft pink hair, and scope her up in his arms and kiss her, and stay in her arms forever. He wanted that more than he would ever admit. He still did. But instead he decided to leave.

"Sakura..." he said. _I'll aways love you_! That's what he wanted to say. But then thought better of it. It would just hurt her more when he left. He didn't want to hurt her more but he still wanted her to know how he appreciated it all. All she had done for him, and to him. "Thank-you," he said simply. He heard Sakura gasp, and then she was frozen. He had to leave and that was the time. He applied a little pressure to a nerve on her neck and she started to fall.

"Sasuke..." she said his name and it made him want to hug her knowing it may be the last time they'd ever see each other again. He caught her as she fell, and picked her up. He could see the tears that streaked her face. She looked so peaceful. Like a sleeping angle that had cryed her self to sleep. He laid her on the cold stoned bench. He stroked her hair away from her face and felt the need to kiss her cheek. He wish he would have, it would be the last time he saw that particular girl. He stood up looked over her and with heavy steps walked away from the girl that would always be the only girl he could ever possably love and trust. The only girl that would only truly love him for him, not for his clan or love him out of pity or just because he was cute. She was the only one that could ever truly love him, and the only one that he would feel anything for.

Sasuke woke from that dream. He didn't know why but he had dreamed of that moment a lot sense he'd left Konoha. He had tried not to think about her sense he left, and sometimes he couldn't help it. But now it was like he couldn't stop thinking about that girl. Sakura. Sakura. Sakura! Her name, her face, her smile, her tears. They all haunted him now. Her face, smile, tears, they had all begged him to stay with her. How he was able to find the strength to walk away, he'd never know. Everything about her had loved him, and she never gave up. He didn't know about now. He could actually say that, as uncomfortable and disturbing as it may seem, he didn't know a thing about Sakura. He lay away for a long time wonder what she was doing now, before he fell back to his sleep, dreaming of nothing.

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Night had passed and Sakura's team was about to set off. The night before they had stopped just outside of the Lightning Country. What lay before them was a mountain range as far as they could see, and a river. The river wasn't very wide, they could still jump across, but the current of the river was unbelievable. She had heard that there were lots of rivers and hot springs in the Lightning Country. She knew it rained here almost everyday. And sometime for days it wouldn't stop. Right now it was quite, the ground was still a little wet from a rain storm that came sometime not long before her team had come. Sakura looked at the mountains that lay before them.

She had gotten up early, unable to sleep. Memories of Sasuke kept haunting her dreams. The most particular memory of her dream was when he left her. She begged him to stay but he still brushed it off and walked away. She got up so she didn't have to think about how useless she'd been. She packed her things and sat on the edge of a Cliff that over looked the river. She stared at the mountains laid out before her and the river that rushed fast and furious under neath her. She was probably about a mile high. The canyon that they would have to jump was about 8 feet across.

Last night they had talked about where they would go once they crossed the mountain range. They were to see the Fuedal Lord of the Lightning Country and get permission to look around the land for Kenyu Horiuchi. Tsunade had already talked to him about it, and they were just suppose to check in and let him know they were there. And if the Feudal Lord had any information, we were to receive it and make use of it.

Once her team was packed up and we ready they jumped easily across the deep canyon and walked toward the mountain range.

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"Can we stop yet? I swear you guys remind me of Lee and Gia sensei... You've got too much energy! Can we stop, please?" Tenten complained. And then she fell to the rocky edge of the 237th mountain we were on. After Tenten found herself a comfortable place to relax, Sakura and Hinata fell next to her.

"How troublesome..." Shikamaru mumbled to himself, then he sat down beside Sakura. Hinata dug in her bag and handed us each a rice ball. This was our first stop. We had left at dawn and by looking at the sun Sakura could tell that it was about and hour before mid-day. They had made excellent time, and were moving at a fast pace. The mountains that they had crossed had been steep and tall, but they were easy to get over.

"Hinata, are we close to being done?" Tenten asked her. Hinata's eyes flashed and veins popped out that started from her temple and ran to her eyes. She could see everything around them now. Sakura thought it was so cool that she could do that.

After a minute, Hinata nodded. "I can see the end of the mountian range," Hinata confirmed.

"Thank-god..." Tenten remarked and let out a sigh of relief.

"We have about 130 mountains to cross," Hinata relaxed her face then.

"Oh my god! 130 mountains left! Are you serious?! Are you being funny, Hinata? 130 left!?!" Tenten yelled. Hinata just ate her rice ball and nodded at the other kunoichi. Sakura just leaned back her head and closed her eyes. She didn't get much sleep, and now it was getting to her.

Tenten still complained about what was left to walk, and Hinata still just ate her rice ball, when Shikamaru mumbled. Tenten stopped and Hinata looked over at Shikamaru. Sakura smiled at his comment.

"Did you say something, shadow boy!?!" Tenten threatened

"Yeah, he said that he needed some water..." Sakura lied for him. He owed her big time. Sakura opened her eyes and looked over at him. He was looking at her with confusion. Sakura smiled at him.

"Yeah, I need some water. Hinata can you hand me that canister?" He asked with a smirk and a thank- you glance to Sakura.

"Sure..." Hinata took the water canister from the side of her bag and handed it to Shikamaru. He took a big drink and handed it back to the Byakugan user with a smile.

"Thank-you," he said. Sakura smiled at him then leaned back and closed her eyes once more.

Sakura could feel Tenten's glare bore into her face and then she could feel the tension between Shika and her. She smiled at them both.

"Okay... enough break let's get moving. We don't have that much longer to go," Shikamaru said standing up. Sakura moaned and got up, she wanted to sleep. Hinata and Tenten got up.

"Fine..." Tenten said with a sigh and then she started up the mountain with Hinata right behind her. Sakura looked at Shikamaru and smiled.

"You owe me 'shadow boy'," Sakura said to him. He grunted at her.

"Man... what a drag..." he said and then Sakura started up the mountain with Shikamaru trailing her. Sakura smiled again at what he said before. In truth she was thinking the same thing as what he had said.

'I wonder how Neji would feel if I kicked that loud mouth off this mountain...' that's what Shikamaru had said. Sakura again smiled at the comment. Everyone knew that Tenten and Neji had been together even though they tried to hide it. They didn't try very hard though, Lee had let it slip once. He had told Naruto and Sakura a while back. Then, Naruto ran off and told everyone. Everyone knew the next day. That was when Sakura found out that word and gossip spread fast throughout the village.

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Tenten jumped and giggled. Sakura and her team had been to the Feudal Lord of the Lightning Country. It was starting to get dark so the Feudal Lord told them to get lodging at the 'Bolt Hot Spring and Lodging' and Tenten was practically out of her mind with joy that she could bathe. Shikamaru bought them three rooms. One for him, one for the girls, and one that connected us so we could eat together and talk. The girls were now in there room and getting ready for the hot springs.

Sakura wrapped a towel around her slender body and put on some slippers. Sakura headed out for the hot springs before the other two were ready. She walked to the hot spring and stepped into the warm waters that calmed her at first touch. She discarded her towel and soaked in the calm waters, humming a comforting tune.

Soon, Tenten joined and then Hinata. They all soaked in the warm waters. They were all so calm, letting the warm water seep into their waiting skin. Then talking started to fill the spaces between them.

At first the talking was nice then it became like any other conversation, as Shikamaru would put it, it became troublesome.

"Hey Hinata, that Feudal Lord was kind of cute. He was getting an eyeful of you, you know?" Tenten told her. Of course, Hinata started to blush and deny it.

"N-no he wasn't. He was looking at you Tenten..." Hinata said. This upset Tenten. Sakura knew that it would, the Feudal Lord was too old, he was like Jiraya's and Tsunade's age. Way too old for us.

"No he wasn't!!! He was looking at you!" Tenten said dening it, like Sakura knew she would.

"No... n-no he wasn't. I don't like him..." Hinata blushed. Tenten smiled at her.

"Oh yeah, I forgot, you like Naruto..." Tenten said to Hinata. Hinata started to turn red.

"Well, I-I guess I d-do. And you shouldn't like the Feudal Lord either, you have Neji. You two are perfect together, of course. Maybe we'll become cousins..." Hinata said, turning the rolls. Now Tenten was blushing.

"What gave you that idea! There isn't anything going on between me and Neji H-Hyuuga." she denyed it. Sakura then shook her head at them both and sunk lower under the water. Letting her head slip from the surface and her hair flowed around her face.

For the minute she was underneath the warm water. She thought about how everyone would probably get a happy ending with the one they loved. Tenten would get Neji; Hinata would get Naruto; Shikamaru would get Temari(she had been coming to the village a lot lately and at times it was just because she wanted too. Everyone knew that her and Shikamaru were together); Kiba would get that girl that worked at the vet's office with his sister once. She loved animals, and wanted to become a vet to care for them; Akamaru would also get that huge dog that came with the girl that Kiba liked; Shino would get that girl that worked at the study center. She was always fascinated about the Aburame clan and their beetles. Shino had taken a liking to her; Choji would get that girl that worked at the diner, she loved to eat, too; Ino would get Sai; Lee would get that girl that worked with Sakura at the hospital now and then. Lee thought that she was amazing. Everyone would get who they wanted, except herself. She'd never get who she wanted.

Sakura swam back to the top. Her head breaking the surface again.

"I'm going in..." Sakura announced then climbed out and went to their room.

Sakura got dressed in a white robe and blow dried her hair, then she went to middle room to find Shikamaru already there.

"Done already?" He asked her taking in her appearance. He was sitting on the floor around the table, he was cleaning his weapons. Sakura nodded and then sat down. She starred at the man. He focused on the task that he was doing.

There was a knock on the door that led to the hall.

"Enter!" Shika announced. The door slid open to reveal a woman folded on the floor with a cart of food next to her.

"Your food is here Mr. Nara," the lady said.

"Thank-you, you can come in," the lady rose and brought in the cart of food. She started to set the food out in front of Sakura and Shikamaru. Shika put his ninja tools away, and watched the lady set out the food.

"Oh wow, I'm starving," Tenten said from the open doors behind Sakura. Hinata was with her. They were both dressed in white robes. Hinata still had wet hair, it would be hard to dry that hair in just 10 minutes though. Tenten still had dripping hair. She never blowed dried her hair; she dried it with a towel, and that was what she was doing now.

"Thank-you," Shikamaru said to the women after she set out the food. The women started to back out of the room with the cart of food. She looked almost board, Sakura would be too if she had to bring food to everyone.

"Thank-you," Sakura said to the women and the women nodded at her and Shika. Hinata sat down and also thanked the women. Tenten didn't but sat down anyway.

Hinata sat next to Sakura on one side of the table, and Shikamaru and Tenten on the other side. Sakura thought again of what he said on the edge of the mountain and again, and she allowed herself a little smile. They all sat eating and just making casual conversation. Then, when they all were close to getting done eating, they talked about the mission.

"Tomorrow, we will leave at _before _dawn to get to that town on the ocean bank. Understood?" Shika said to them. Hinata and Sakura nodded.

"What is it with you people always getting up before you should? Don't you guys ever sleep in?" Tenten muzzed. But she then, nodded her head saying that she understood. Sakura thought about it and the answer was no. Sakura doesn't think she has ever slept in. The latest was maybe 8 am. She didn't like sleeping in, it wasted time and that time could help her train or save someones life.

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Sakura, again, woke up way before she needed, too. Outside it was still pitch dark, but she could sleep, memories haunted her in her dreams. They have been ever sense she left Konoha. She couldn't think about those moments with Sasuke. It might dig back up some feelings or it might break the mask. She had worked too hard to have those feelings be brought to the surface. Every time she thought of those moments, like the bench the night he left, she felt something squeezed in her chest, it hurt, it made her want to cry. But she quickly pushed the memories away and buried those feelings deeper. She had hurt and cried enough over that boy long ago. She cried and hurt over and for him enough to last her a life time without him. Sasuke didn't do it to her, Sakura did it all to herself. He never made her love him. He never wanted to make her cry, or at least he didn't mean for her, too. He never tried to make her hurt. Sakura did it too herself. She cried for him, not because of him, but because she wanted him to stay, or just wanted him.

Sakura stopped that train of thought, then she got up folded her cot. She got dressed, again, and got a bagel from the front lobby. No one was up yet, not even in the lodging lobby. She just got the bagel and went back to the room. She ate the bagel on the way to the room, so by the time she got back to the room, she was chewing on the last bite of bagel. She swallowed and then went to the doors in the door that pushed open to the balcony. Sakura went out onto the cold wooden surface, and closed the door again. It was a little chilly and the air was moist. Sakura looked out to the dark sky, she could see dark clouds pressed against a dark sky. The clouds let out a flash a light, and then a few moments later Sakura heard the low, loud rumble of thunder. Sakura watched the lightning with interest, thunderstorms always interested Sakura. She always thought they were so cool, so amazing. They gave her a sense of reality, and dream all at the same time. It gave her a sense of danger and calmness all at the same time. It made her feel dangerous and calm, real, and like she was from a dream. Sakura smiled again as another roll of thunder reached her ears. It wasn't raining here yet, but Sakura could feel it coming in, the moist in the air the humidity. She heard another roll of thunder and saw another flash of light strike the ground with amazing power, strength, and speed. It never hit the same place twice. Just then, it started to rain, hard. After just one minute the ground was soaked and running with tiny rivers and big creeks. Sakura stuck her hand out in the rain. The rain pelted her arm almost stinging. Sakura smiled as the thunderstorm let out another loud rumble and bright light.

She wish she could be as stong as a thunderstorm, nothing can stop the lightning, nothing can run from the rumbling of the thunder. Maybe the _Chidori _could cut the lightning, but with Kakashi almost anything is possible. He gets lost on the path of life everyday. Sakura remembers when she leaned how to do the _Chidori_, she could use it in battle because her eyes went strong enough, but she still wanted to know how to use it. She had leaned it because... she didn't know why. Maybe she just wanted to remember a part of Sasuke. The dangerous part, the power part. She had learned it to get a sense of power, power that he once held. After she had learned it she had only used it one time. She used it on the power lines in the village. She got power flowing through the lines again. She was in the middle of a surgery. She couldn't do it in the dark, so she ran outside and used the new found power to get electricity flowing through the town again. The village was again filled with light and it wasn't so dark in the surgery room.

Sakura turned to the closed doors that led to her room, she heard a yawn and now Hinata and Tenten were talking. Sakura looked at the sky behind the dark clouds she could see it bluing up a little. She heard Shikamaru's usual comments coming from behind her. He must of had to get Tenten up. Sakura smiled at them all, and walked into her room once more. Her arms were folded across her chest, Hinata was already dressed, and Shikamaru was, too. Tenten ran into the bathroom and started too. Sakura felt kind-of bad for Shika, he always thought women were troublesome and a drag and here he was on a long mission with one of the most troublesome group of girls you could ever imagine. Sakura wasn't so troublesome, and Hinata was okay, she just needed to speak up a little, and Tenten always complained. Sakura thought of herself, she guessed that she always corrected people when they were wrong, maybe that was troublesome. Sakura smiled at herself and her team.

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"It's dark in here," Tenten whispered to Hinata. They had come to the cave on the ocean shore that people said the experiments were taking place. Sakura could feel the tension in the air that seemed to radiate from the cave. As they were nearing it a flash of light, light up the mouth of the cave. It almost looked like lightning. It was still raining when they arrived and now they were under the shelter of the cave. The flash of light left us blind and unfocused to the dark. That's what Tenten was complaining about.

"Shh..." came Shikamaru's demand. Sakura heard Tenten huff at him. They walked deeper into the cave, the tension getting stronger and stronger. Sakura looked back to the mouth of the cave she didn't know that when she left that mouth of the cave she would be a different girl. She wouldn't leave here the same.


	3. Power

Chapter 3: Power

Sakura and her team turned the corner, and Sakura almost fainted at what she saw. She heard Hinata and Tenten gasp at the piled up bodies in the corner. They were no doubt test subjects. There were probably close to 200 people stacked up, dead. Sakura felt the need to cry. She started to walk over to them to see if she could help any of them. She felt someone grab her hand, she didn't have to turn to know who it was.

"They're all dead, Sakura," Shikamaru's voice reached her ears. "You can't help them, it's too late." Sakura felt tears sting her eyes.

"Hinata..." Sakura heard herself say. She could sense Hinata's chakra work it's way through her eyes searching for anyone who could be alive, she soon turned it off and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. No one is alive..." Hinata confirmed. Sakura shook her head. They were too late. Shikamaru tugged on her hand, urging her to move forward. Sakura did, taking her eyes off the innocent people. She almost started to cry when she saw a little boy laying next to the pile of adults. Underneath him were other children. How could anybody be so cruel; children too. Sakura walked along next to Shikamaru, Tenten and Hinata were behind her. They were all too late. But they had to hurry so that no one else would die.

They turned another corner and Sakura gasped. In the middle of a large space, was a lightning bolt. It was coming from the ceiling. It was connected to about six people. Five of the people were lined up in a row, they all had there head tilted back and were screaming out in pain. The sixth person was a man, Sakura and her team hid in the corner watching helplessly. They all smothered there chakra and watched the sixth man kill five others. They could stop it. The man was standing in a large circle, a lightning bolt was connecting to him, too. It came from the other five. He was also screaming out of pain, just not as loud as the ones who were being killed. Sakura felt the need to go over and go a head and give the man his fate. Shikamaru probably felt this need and that's why he grabbed Sakura's wrist. Sakura watched feeling so useless.

After another minute passed by and then the lightning bolt receded. The five people fell to the ground, dead. The sixth person, Kenyu Horiuchi he must have been, fell to his knees in the circle. His hands were shaking, and they heard him breathing heavily.

"Yes! I can feel it! Now I need to get stronger people!" Kenyu yelped. Sakura got it, he had been using weak people to be test subjects so he didn't have to waste the stronger ones. Sakura, again, wanted to get the man to his grave. Shikamaru held tightly to her arm and Sakura knew now wasn't the time. They waited for a minute until he stood and walked out of the circle. Then, Sakura felt her arm released, silently letting her know that now was the time to stop him. They came out of hiding and spiked their chakra to let the man know they were there.

Kenyu stopped and froze when he felt the chakra spikes. He then turned and looked at the four of them. He was surprised at first and then he noticed the team's head bands. He smiled then and put his hands on his hips.

"I see Tsunade has heard of my experiments..." Kenyu began. Sakura felt another need to hit him, but she controlled herself. "If she knew, then she would have sent a pretty strong group. Yes! I think you four will be prefect for my power sources, but there isn't enough...." Sakura froze. She wanted to use her friends for his test. She became more angry. The man looked puzzled and then clapped his hands together. Sakura thought that maybe to many strikes with a lightning bolt would make you a little loopy. The man started to giggle and jump. He reminded Sakura of Tenten when she got to have a hot spring bath. "Wonderful! Senu! Senu, will you bring in the powerful ones! Thank-You!" Kenyu giggled as he announced. Sakura then saw a boy about their age bring in prisoners with chakra shackles on.

They were all ninja, most were from the hidden cloud village, but some were from the other great nations. She saw one from Konoha. She didn't really know the man but she knew he was from ANBU root. He was powerful. Sakura didn't exactly know what he could do but that didn't matter, she had to help those people. Sakura heard Shikamaru cruse under his breath. Sakura quickly counted them. There were 11 people. If he added her group to the mass there was 15. 15 powerful people. It all would make a person unstoppable. They had to stop Kenyu.

Sakura watched the boy, Senu, put the prisoners in little circles lined up in a row. Kenyu watched Sakura's group as the others were slowly accepting their fate. Sakura wasn't going to let this happen.

"Get them!" Kenyu demanded. Then, people jumped from the ceiling and surrounded Sakura and her group. They started to proceed with their order, but Sakura's team wasn't going down so easily. Sakura started to kick them and punch them all, not killing them but injuring them severely. Soon, her group had taken out the small group that had surrounded them. Kenyu smiled, clearly satisfied. Then he waved his hand and about 50 more men surrounded them.

Sakura knew that this wasn't good, this was clearly bad. She started to kick and punch at the men. She counted the men she took out. 6; 11; 15; 22; 24; there were no more left. She looked around her, waiting for more but, that's when she saw them. Hinata, Tenten and Shikamaru were out. They were being carried by the men.

"Hinata! Tenten! Shika!" Her voice didn't wake them. Sakura became more angry. Her closed fist produced blood. Kenyu waved his hand again, he was begging to become annoyed. Sakura wasn't going down. She had to save her team. The group that crouded her know was full of about 50 men. They didn't move, they let Sakura watch her team be put into shackles. Then, her team was was put down into a circle. There was one circle left, the circle was meant for her. No! She couldn't give up. Sakura looked at the men around her. The were all ninjas, but they all looked merely old genin. She was a jounin. She could win.

Sakura took a deep breath and then started to take out the men around her. 3; 14; 32; 46; 55; 55! There were more coming in. Sakura was starting to lose her breath. She conserved as much chakra as she could but she could still feel it lowering. She had to stop it now! She couldn't use her super chakra enhanced punch to do anything. It might bring the cave to collapse. She continued to kick and punch at the men. 62; 65; 72! They stopped coming. Sakura had feel on her hands and knees, panting for breath. She smothered what was left of her chakra to make them think that she was out of it.

"Mm... good take her. Let's get started," Kenyu said. Four men grabbed Sakura, she went without comment. Kenyu walked to the circle and started to preform the hand signs. Sakura then started to knock the men around. It was too late for Kenyu to stop. The lightning had come. The ninja held captive screamed. Hinata, Tenten and Shika were even screaming. Kenyu was screaming the loudest. Sakura thought quickly. She ball up chakra in her hand and bolts of lightning screamed out from her hand. If it could cut lightning, now was the time to use it.

"_Chidori_!" Sakura yelled. She jumped up and cut the lightning off from her team and the other ninjas then jumped over and hit Kenyu with it. Sakura didn't think it through all the way. She jumped right in the way of the lightning that was transferring power to Kenyu. Sakura screamed as the pain hit her. It was so strong, the pain was almost unbearable. It didn't last very long she had cut off the resources. Sakura fell to her hands and knees, she felt sick. She was sick. She vomited on the ground in front of her. Then, she felt... powerful. She looked at her shaking hands. She could feel it, she could feel it all. She looked up at the ninja who were held captive. All of them were on there hands and knees, even Shikamaru, Hinata, and Tenten. Some were crying, and some were still screaming. They were all still alive. Sakura looked up; the lightning had killed all the ninja that were helping Kenyu. They were all laying dead on a balcony that was connected from the roof. She must have gotten their power, too. Sakura looked over at Kenyu, he was vibrating. The _Chidori _didn't kill him. They had to take him in for interrogation. He vibrated for a while then looked at Sakura.

"You! You ruined it! You took my power! How dare yo--" he was cut off by a kunai striking him in the back of the head. Not killing him, but knocking him out. Tenten...

Sakura looked at the ground and then she, too, fell to the ground. She needed to sleep. Her team was okay and she needed to sleep. So she did, dreamless.

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Kabuto walked into the cave. He turned the corner in time to see Sakura cut off the lightning from her fellow ninjas. He slid into a corner and smothered his chakra, and watched with interest. He watched Sakura jump down and hit Kenyu with the _Chidori _and then she stepped in the way of the lightning. Kabuto heared her high pitched scream. He watched the people from the boucany get struck with the lightning. Sakura got the power from her fellow team and ninjas and from the energy. He watched as the people from the boucany fell down dead, and the ninjas that were held captive fell to there hands and knees. Kabuto smiled. Sakura had saved them and got the power. Kenyu failed Orochimaru. Sakura was puking and then shaking with power. Kenyu welled at her, and then a female with brown hair threw a kunai at him, he fell unconscious. Sakura then fell, too. Kabuto backed out of the cave, keeping his chakra smothered. He then started to make the hand signs to transfer himself to Orochimaru's new layer, that wasn't far from there. He did the hand signs and then felt the lurch as he appeared in Orochimaru's layer.

Orochimaru was standing in the training grounds with Sasuke. He grinned at his apprentice. Smoke filled a spot in front of Orochimaru and Sasuke, letting them know that Kabuto was back. When he appeared alone Orochimaru's satisfied smile faded.

"Kabuto... where is he?" Orochimaru's death stare bored into Kabuto. Sasuke sat against a wall and listened to what was going on in the outside world of research.

"I was too late, and he preformed the jutsu," Kabuto said. Staring back at Orochimaru with a evil smile.

"That's okay, Kabuto. We can still use him. He can tell us the jutsu and then we can use him to bring down Konoha. Go and get him," Orochimaru waved Kabuto away, and started to walk away.

"The jutsu was... stopped," Kabuto said carefully. Orochimaru froze and Sasuke looked up at Kabuto.

"What on earth do you mean?" Orochimaru asked turning to look at Kabuto. Sasuke had a feeling... he didn't know if it was a good or bad feeling. He just had a feeling.

"When I got there I saw Sakura Haruno useing the _Chidori _to cut the lightning off from her team and other powerful ninja, and then jump over and use it on Kenyu. She was then struck by the lightning and all the power that was going into Kenyu went into her. She got some power from the powerful ninja and her team, but it also killed the ninja that were helping Kenyu and gave their power to her, too," Kabuto explained with a smirk. Orochimaru couldn't believe it, but he just smiled and hissed a interested hiss.

As for Sasuke he tried his hardest not to show any emotion. He was trying to keep his jaw from dropping to the floor. Sakura. Sakura has all that power now. She was stronger than before. How could that be. Sasuke stared at Kabuto with unbelieving eyes.

"Sakura Haruno, mm..." Orochimaru said with a hiss. "Tell me Kabuto, what did they do with Kenyu?"

"They knocked him out so my guess is that they are taking him to Konoha for interrogation," Kabuto explained.

"And what happened to Sakura?" Orochimaru asked.

"She fell down unconscious after a minute, but she is still alive," Kabuto spoke. Orochimaru put his hand on his hip and thought for a minute.

"Kabuto... I want you to go to Konoha and get your family out of the way... if they are there.... I'm sure you get what I'm saying. Right, Kabuto? Leave now... understood?" Orochimaru hissed. Then he smiled. "Kabuto... don't fail me on this, okay? And come back as soon as it's done," Kabuto smiled and then nodded.

Sasuke looked down, he didn't know what they were talking about... killing Kabuto's family? As long as Sakura was still in the Lightning Country, she was safe from any harm that Kabuto would bring to Konoha... that's all Sasuke cared about. Right now, he still had training to do....

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"Do you think we should wake her up?" Hinata asked Shikamaru.

After Sakura fell unconscious, the ninjas started to spread. They were going to go home. Shikamaru's team was the last to leave. Shikamaru was now caring Sakura on his back, and the ANBU member was now traveling with them. He had Kenyu on his back. They put Kenyu in some of the shackles to keep him unable to use chakra.

They were now crossing the Lightning Country and were almost to the feudal lord's palace. Sakura and Kenyu had been out for about six hours, and it was starting to get dark. They all were exhausted that lightning had left them all weak. They had to wait for about and hour before they could move with Sakura and Kenyu. If Shikamaru was anything he was grateful. Sakura had saved them all. She was a hero, Shikamaru had trouble admitting it before but now he couldn't deny it. Sakura had gotten stronger. It may have been a good think that Sasuke left, if he didn't she would have never become that strong. And now she was stronger than before. Ever sense they gotten out of there shackles they all could feel it. She was stronger. Hinata had used her byakugan to see her chakra system. She said that it was different, it had changed. Not just the chakra but the whole chakra system. The chakra she had now was incredible and it could put off any element you could think of. And her whole chakra system had changed to accommodate the new chakras. Hinata even said that all her chakra points had became bigger, and she had twice as more chakra points as she did before.

Shika looked back at the sleeping kunoichi on his back. "Let's try," he said simply. They stopped and laid Sakura down on the driest place they could find. Shikamaru began to shake her shoulder. "Sakura, Sakura... Sakura!" The most she did was flinch at her name.

"Sakura... Sakura... wake up, Sakura," Hinata shook at her shoulder. Nothing but a flench of the hand and eyes. Shikamaru sighed. The ANBU had stopped to wait for them. He had told them to call him 'Relipo.'

"Can I look at her?" Relipo asked. Shikamaru looked up at him and nodded. Relipo dropped Kenyu, not caring if he hurt him of not, and bent down to look at Sakura. He looked at her for a second, then his hands flew into a number of seals and then he moved his hand to cover her forehead. He closed his eyes and then began to search through Sakura's mind. Shikamaru saw Sakura flinching dramatically. What could this ninja be doing to her? Shikamaru wondered if he should stop this guy, but then the ANBU's eyes snapped open and looked down at Sakura. Shikamaru did the same, when he did he saw Sakura's eyes start to open.

"Sakura...?" Tenten asked. Sakura's eyes snapped open. Every one around her gasped, everyone except the ANBU. He had never seen her eyes before so he didn't find what was so shocking. But Tenten, Hinata, and Shika did. Sakura's eyes they were white, they didn't have a pupil. Sakura had the byakugan, even the veins that ran from her temple to her eyes were bulging. They all looked at Hinata and then back at Sakura. It, indeed, was the byakugan.

"Wow... Sakura," Tenten started. Everyone was crouch around her.

"What... what is this? I can see... what happened to me?" Sakura's voice cracked. She tried to sit up but, she was pushed down again by Shikamaru.

"Sakura... you have the byakugan," Tenten told her. Sakura looked at her, with confusion in her white eyes.

"I do?... I do," Sakura closed her eyes. "I can see all around me. I can see everythin-- wait... how do I get this thing to turn off?" Sakura opened her eyes and looked at Hinata.

"O-okay, all you have to do is shut the chakra off from the chakra tubes that connect to your eyes. Close your eyes and try," Hinata said to her. Sakura did as she was told, then the veins around her eyes relaxed. "Now, block the chakra that would flow into those tubes off with a solid chakra. That's how we get ours to stay off," Hinata continued. Sakura waited a few minutes and then opened her eyes. Everyone let out a sigh of relief. Sakura's eyes were back to normal, back to there emerald color with a dark pupil in the middle.

"What do my eyes look like now?" Sakura asked. She looked around at her team. At the one who was the ANBU member she had seen in chains.

"They look like they always have," Shikamaru commented. Sakura herself let out a sigh of relief.

"Are you all okay?" Sakura asked her team.

"Yeah, just a little drained," Shikamaru answered her. "How about you? How do you feel?" He asked her.

"Yeah, I feel fine. More than fine," Sakura said to them, sitting up. She looked around her. Then she turned to Shikamaru and asked, "Where are we?"

"We're headed to the feudal lord's palace. We're almost there. Do you think you can walk?" Shika said to her and then stood up and held out a hand.

"Yeah, maybe," she grumbled to herself and then grabbed Shikamaru's hand. Sakura gasp as she felt everything that Shikamaru felt, and saw everything that he was thinking of. Her eyes became wide as she entered Shika's mind but then Shika pulled his hand back and put his hands to his head.

"Ahh..." Shika yelped. Sakura was breathing heavily. What just happened? She looked at Shikamaru and everyone was looking at her. She stood up and stepped away from everyone.

"Uh... I'm sorry, Shika. I don't know what happened. D-did I hurt you?" Sakura asked. She was scared that maybe she had.

"No, it just surprised me. I felt you in my mind..." he said. Tenten and Hinata gasped.

"Did you just say you felt her in your mind?" Tenten asked Shikamaru. Shika looked at her and nodded.

Relipo nodded, "That jutsu came from me," he said.

"You mean to tell me that she has any jutsu's of any of the people that the lightning was touching?" Tenten asked.

"Yes, I was doing research on the jutsu when I was caught. Sakura, you should be able to remember back on what skills you got from them and know how to use them correctly," said Relipo.

Sakura thought for a minute. And then, she realised that she could. She now knew that she had mind reading jutsu's and mind control, she had Shikamaru's shadow clone jutsu, Hinata's byakugan, Tenten's skill for weapons, someones amazing skill for taijutsu, someones skill for complicated water jutsu's like the water dragon, someones skill for a lot of fire jutsu's, someone's skill for earth jutsu's, someone else's skills for lightning jutsu's; actually she had a lot of lightning jutsu's, then she had wind jutsu's; she could do the R_asengan_; she had some of the sound's skills for genjutsu with music, and then she had strong genjutsu's; she could even be a puppet-master; then she was now a chakra sensor; she could even take other's chakra. She could even take someone's chakra from far away, and transfer it to her and even send it too other people. The people she took it from could be dead or alive, it didn't matter. She had a lot more than just that, she had a lot of knowledge, too. She could find any hidden village, now, and she knew a lot about Akatsuki, and a lot more about Orochimaru, and his doings. A lot more than the village ever knew.

And the best part was, is that she could control them all, she knew how. She knew all the hand-signs, and the amount of chakra they needed. Not that she had to worry about that, apparently, she had an unbelievable amount of chakra. All different kinds of chakra. She was powerful. She just had to get use to the feeling of all of it.

"It's only common sense that you are now very strong. He was planning to use it on himself, so it's obvious that he has some very Strong ninja that he was taking from," Relipo said to her. She looked up at him, and smiled. She was strong! She wasn't useless anymore! She could keep everyone in the village save! She could protect them. She looked at Shikamaru as he mumbled. She started to giggle at him, at what he said. She just realised that she had excellent hearing.

"Great, another women who thinks she's all that... how troblesome..." Shikamaru had said. Tenten started to freak when she heard Sakura laugh at him.

"What?! What he say?! You heard him?! I'm the closest one to him and I didn't even hear him?! What he say?!" Tenten freaked. She waved her hands in front of her face and gave Shikamaru silly glares and kept glancing around him.

"Let's move, it's getting dark..." Shikamaru said to them all. Relipo picked Kenyu up and started to run. Sakura was the last one to leave.

She thought about her power. At first happy, but then sad. Would everyone look down on her, think that she stole these jutsu's? Would they be scared of her new power like they were of Garra and Naruto? Would some enemy try to hurt the ones she cared about? Would they try to hurt the village? Sakura just then realized that she had put the village in danger. She thought about it and then decided that even if she had she would die protecting the village. At that thought she ran with the rest of them.

Her speed was great, her energy was so high, she felt alive, and yet, somehow, dead and sulking inside. She then slid that mask, that had been there for so long, across her face and became the Sakura everyone knew, but somehow different, more stronger, more useful, more powerful.


	4. Only One

Chapter 4: Only One

"Ehuro! Stop running around so much! You're making the ceiling shake! And be careful! Why don't you go to the training grounds and work on your kunia practice," Kahiro yelled up the stairs. She turned around and started to make her way back to the kitchen. She was making dinner for them, but E still had time to train. Sahuna was sleeping in the living room and Manhino was upstairs being a difficult teenager, as usual.

Kahiro was chopping up tomatoes when she heard footsteps running down the stairs. Soon, E appeared and smiled at Kahiro. "Do you really mean it? Can I really go? I promise I'll be back in time for dinner," E asked Kahiro. Kahiro smiled at her son and his energetic expression. She nodded at him and he jumped up and down with excitement.

"Make sure you are back. I don't want you staying out there all night. Dinner will be ready in an hour. Got it?" She looked at E with a demanding expression. E smiled at her and ran back up stairs, only to appear seconds later with shoes and a jacket.

"Got it! I'll be back soon, momma!" E exclaimed. As he started to run to the door Kahiro stopped him with her soothing voice.

"Hey! You're not going anywhere without giving me a hug first," Kahiro walked around the table to kneel in front of her son, she extended her arms awaited her son to climb into them. E looked at the open arms with a mad expression.

"Mom," E sighed and put his hands on his hips and closed his eyes. "I too old for hugs. I'm not a baby anymore," he stated. He opened his eyes to stare back at his mom. She looked at him with a sad expression, then, she let her arms fall and got up from her knees and sighed.

"Okay, I know. Sorry, it's hard to think that you're not the same little boy you were this morning..." she said with a smile and heavy sarcasm. E looked at her with a scowl. His nose wrinkled and his eyebrows knitted together at the top of his nose. Kahiro started to chop tomatoes again and smiled.

"I'm leaving now. This big boy will be back. Don't worry about that!" E said and stompped out the door.

"Be careful!" His mom yelled after him as he made his way down the front porch. He started to run toward the training grounds. It was started to get dark out, and there was a storm coming in. The dark, somber clouds sang with thunder. In the distance E could see the haziness that meant that it was raining over there. He ran through the tipsy drunks, and the busy store owners. He ran to the end of a road to turn down another and then another until he finally came to his destination. The training grounds were empty, all people were gone because of the war breaking out between the Sand village and the Rain village. Almost all the good ninjas were send off to do some kind of mission or help the Sand village. He had the place to himself.

E pulled out a kunia from his pack that his mom bought him. He took his stance and started to aim at his target, then he let loose. He missed! He only needed to aim a little more to the left and bulls-eye!

He took his stance again...

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Kahiro was about to put her ingredients together when she heard a loud thump from the living room where Sahuna was sleeping. Afraid that the baby had rolled into something while she was sleeping she ran into the living room. When she rounded the corner she stopped dead in her tracks. She caught her breath and then feel to her knees.

"Hello, mother... long time no see!" Kabuto stepped towards the little sleeping baby. Kahiro screamed as she notice this movement.

"Kabuto! Please, stop! Please! What are you doing?" Kahiro broke down into tears. She watched the baby with alarm as Kabuto picked her up and started to rock her in his dangerous embrace. Kabuto smiled at Kahiro's pleading. Then, they heard footsteps running down the stairs. Manhino was visible in a matter of micro-seconds, with a kunai in hand. His face was plastered with rage as he took in the situation in the living room.

He watched Kabuto, his older brother that he had only known for a short time, and his baby sister that the enemy held. "Get away from her. Put her down!" Manhino's voice was filled with rage and he sprang forward, closing the distance between him and Kabuto.

"No! Manhino! Stop!" Kahiro's screams filled the room. In what seemed to happen in the time it took to blink, blood was splatter across the walls, decorating the pictures with a bright red color. Filling the room with the rusty smell of blood. Kahiro screamed loudly as she watched her son be murdered.

Outside Sakura's father was walking when he heard it, the ear-piercing scream. He knew the person it came from. He ran the rest of the way to the house only to find a gray haired boy holding his daughter and his wife and son slaughtered on the floor. Blood stained the walls and carpets. He looked back at Kabuto and feel to his knees with shock. He couldn't move, he just sat there and sobbed over his dead wife.

Kabuto smiled at him and walked slowly over to him. Sakura's father looked up to see his nightmare. The cause of it all. Tears ran down his face. "Why? Why did you do this?" Kabuto smiled wider. "Please... please kill me... I want go, too. Please... end it for me, but don't hurt the baby. Don't... please..." Kabuto smiled even wider at the pleaded man.

Then Kabuto whipped put a bloody kunai and stabbed the baby that he held. Sakura' s father watched with horror. Then he started to sob and pant harder. Kabuto looked down at the man. The man that hung his head now. Kabuto then dropped Sahuna on the floor. Then, he lifted the kunai high in the air over the sobbing man. "Say 'hi' to my mother for me, old man!" then Kabuto trusted the kunai down into the mans neck, killing him instantly. Kabuto smiled as the man fell to the floor, blood pooling around him.

Kabuto started to walk out of the house, when he saw the other boy, Ehuro, walking up the street toward the house. Kabuto was going to wait for him, but then decided that they could use the boy when the time came. So, Kabuto left the house transferring himself to Sakura's mom's house. Kabuto soon finished the job and transported outside of the village. He then started the long walk toward Orochimaru's hideout. A smile plastered across his face, satisfied about what he had done. Even he could admit to himself that he was a little sick. He laughed to himself, knowing that Orochimaru would appreciate this.

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Sakura looked at the arch that opened to her village. A smile crossed her features as she realized she was home. They had a long journey back to the village. Everyone was exhausted. But Sakura knew sleep could wait. She was ready to see her family. She was ready to smile to be happy.

"Let's go to the Hokage's office," Shika ordered. Sakura sighed, of course, her happiness would have to wait. They all started toward the Hokage's office. All eager to get home.

When they got to the Hokage's office and entered the small room where Tsunade was sitting. Her eyes were red when she looked at at the four of them. They all bowed to her and Sakura heard the Hokage's sad sigh. She lifted her head and stood up straight.

"What is it, Tsunade?" she asked, curious to know why she looked so sad. Tsunade stood and walked around her desk to Sakura. She stopped a few feet away from her.

"Sakura... I have some very bad news," she told her apprentice. She knew this would break Sakura, she knew that Sakura wouldn't be the same. Sakura looked at her master with question.

"What is it?" Sakura said with worry in her voice. What could have happened why she was away? What was wrong?

"I hate to be the one to tell you this but..." Tsunade sighed and was extremely aware of everyone watching her with curious eyes. But she only looked at Sakura, poor Sakura. "Your mom, dad, step-mom, and your brother and sister, have been... murdered..." she finished. She dropped her gaze away from Sakura.

Sakura felt a squeezing pain in her chest, in her stomach, she could even feel her legs or arms anymore. She could feel a whole rip its way through her chest and break her heart into. She felt tears sting her eyes, she stared unbelieving at her master. She eyes widened. It couldn't be true. Her family was... gone. Her mouth let out a whimper. She couldn't see anything, everything fell away from her. Tears spilled over the lids of her eyes. She took a few uncoordinated step back. She shook her head slowly. Tsunade looked at her and stepped forward.

"I'm sorry Sakura... I'm so sorr-" Tsunade was cut off.

"NO! N-no.. you're... you're lying..." Sakura stumbled with her words. Why were they lying like this.

"Sakura, I'm not--"

"Why are you lying? Why are you saying this? Why? It's not true!" Sakura couldn't see, tears flooded her vision. They couldn't be gone. They couldn't.

"Sakura..." Tsunade tried to sooth her. She knew this must be hard for her. She hated seeing Sakura so torn. Tsunade started to cry. Seeing this Sakura knew. Her lip trembled, she let out a cry. Tears flowed freely down her face, she fell to the floor. She was on her hands and knees. Her tears soaked the carpet. Tsunade, Hinata, and Tenten all bent down and cried with her. They all patted her back, rubbing it, trying to sooth her. It wasn't helping. Her body still shook with cries and tears. Shikamaru stood back, stunned as well.

"W-who? Who did it?" Sakura's strained voice, filled with sobs, cracked the silence that had been in the room for a few minutes that seemed like an eternity. Tsunade looked up at Sakura who eyes shown with hurt and anger. Tsunade didn't know weather or not to tell her.

"Who was it?" Shikamaru asked with his eyebrows raised at the Hokage. Surprisingly, his voice, too, sounded angry. Tsunade looked at him and then back at Sakura. Sakura was getting mad. Her face was red, streaked with tears, and her emerald eyes, surrounded by red whites, had fire in them. Her fist were clenched, and her chest still heaved with sobs. Tsunade knew that she should tell her, but she couldn't.

"Who was it? Tell me! Tsunade!" Sakura started to yell. Then when Tsunade made no move to give the information to her, Sakura held up her hand, forced her fists to unclench, and touched Tsunade's cheek. Sakura felt all of her thoughts and she heard Tsunade gasp as she entered her mind. Sakura opened her eyes in horror and shock, and then in anger and revenge. "It was Kabuto..." Sakura looked down, her hand still on Tsunade's cheek. She would get Kabuto for this. No one is going to do that to her family and get aw--. Sakura looked up at Tsunade in shock. Sakura stood up her hand falling from her cheek.

Tsunade looked at Sakura with confusion. What just happened? She looked over at Shika and he made a motion to wait a minute, he was staring at Sakura. Tsunade looked back over at the medic and as soon as she did, Sakura started to run.

"Sakura, wait!" Shika yelled after her, but she was already gone. Then he turned to Hokage. "What did she see?"

"When she did that, I was thinking of her brother. Ehuro is the only one left alive. He is staying with Iruka," Hokage got up from her knees and walked around to her desk.

"That's where she's going..." Shika said to himself. Then he walked and stood next to Tenten and Hinata.

"Shikamaru, now you tell me, what was that...?"

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Sakura ran down the crowded streets until she reached the academy. She rand into the doors and as soon as she did, she stopped in her tracks. Ehuro was talking with Iruka at one of the table's in the cafeteria. He looked okay, physically, but her was not as happy as he was the last time she saw him. He was hunched over his food, and he wasn't talking. Sakura looked closer and could still see his face wet with tears. He was playing with his food, not eating. At the sight Sakura started to cry, silently. She stood there, she couldn't move. He probably blamed her. She wasn't there to protect them.

Sakura looked at Iruka who had seen her walked in. Her was standing and starting to walk over to her. E sat there, not even looking up to see where he was going. Iruka came close but then stopped. His face was apologetic, sad, and welcoming all at the same time. He smiled a little but it didn't touch his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Sakura," and then he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and hugged her tightly. Sakura used one hand to hug him back. She started over his shoulder at Ehuro. He was starting to look up at them. Iruka let her out of his arms and stepped back from her. Sakura started to move around him so Ehuro could see her. That's when emerald clashed with emerald. Sakura started crying, and saw that he was, too.

E looked over at the pink-haired kuniochi. He slowly climbed off his chair and started to run. Sakura started to make her way through the tables and chairs when she saw him run. Before they knew it, Sakura picked him up and was holding him tightly. They both cried with each other. On each others shoulders. Sakura smiled to herself, thanking god for keeping E safe. She hugged him tighter, knowing that he could have been taken away, too. E hugged her back almost as tightly. They don't know how long they stayed like that.

Soon, too soon, they heard Sakura's name called. "Sakura... Sakura!" Sakura turned and looked back at her blond haired team-mate. He was running through the chairs and tables. Before Sakura could blink, Naruto almost tackled her to the ground, before catching her up into his arms and holding her to him in a tight hug. Sakura didn't punch him as she would have before, but she accepted the hug. She held her brother in her hands and Naruto, her other brother as she like to think, held them both. Sakura cried on E's shoulder and Naruto's chest. E cried on her shoulder as did Naruto. They stood like that for a long time no one talking. No one thinking, no one hating another. Just everyone thankful for the other still being alive. Sakura held them both closer now. She didn't want to let go, she never would. This was her family, the only family left. Naruto, E, and Tsunade. They were her only family left. She still had her friends. She would protect them all. No matter what. She wouldn't let this happen again. She mentally smiled sadly as she thought of who she sounded like. She closed her eyes and sighed... Sasuke.

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Ehuro was asleep in the bed room. Sakura and Naruto were in the living room, while Ino, Shikamaru, and Hinata were in the kitchen. Sakura had her knees curled up to her chest with her arms around her legs. Her chin rested on her knees thinking about what to do. It had been two days sense she had returned. Today, they moved Ehuro into Sakura's house. He didn't want to stay in his house, Sakura understood why.

Sakura's house was only one floor. It had an attic that was now full of her family's stuff. The baby crib, some of her mother's picture's. Her step-mom's things. All along with Manhino's and her father's things. Everything was up there. Sakura could barely stand being here. In the back yard her mother was killed while trying to dig up weeds. E brought all the important things from his house and took one of the three bedrooms she had. One was hers, one was his, and the other was a guest room, her mom's old room. Everyone was quite. Sakura could hear whispers coming from the kitchen, that was closed off by a swinging door, but everything was fairly quiet.

After a minute Ino and Shikamaru came out of the kitchen caring two glasses of tea, each. Ino gave one of her's to Sakura and Shika gave one of his to Naruto. They both sat down, Ino next to Sakura, and Shikamaru on the other chair. Hinata came in caring her own glass of tea. She sat next to Naruto. No body talked. Sakura took little sips of her hot tea. It was soothing.

Soon, after everyone was ready to go home, they were all lined up at the door. Naruto had his arm around Hinata's waist. Shika and Ino were standing in the door way. Sakura stood and showed them to the door. She opened the door.

"Thanks for helping," she said to them. They all nodded and smiled at her sadly.

"I'm here if you need anything," Shikamaru said and hugged her close.

"Thanks," Sakura hugged back. He walked out the door followed by Ino.

"Me, too," Ino gave her a gentel hug. Sakura just nodded at her.

"Me, too. Good night Sakura," Hinata gave Sakura a short gentle hug. Then she waited outside for Naruto. Sakura looked up at Naruto and smiled sadly. He smiled back sadly.

"Are you sure you don't need me to stick around?" He asked her. Sakura shook her head and hugged him tightly. He hugged her back. Then they let go and Sakura smiled at him.

"I'll be okay. We will be fine," Sakura assured him. Naruto knew that she was just telling herself that, and he knew that this was hard for her. But he knew that they would be okay, eventually. He smiled at her and then walked out and threw his arm back around Hinata's waist. They waved and then jumped away. Sakura closed the door as soon as they were gone. She walked around, turning off the lights and walked down the hall.

On the right side of the hallway was too rooms. Her's was the last one, the first one was E's. On the left was two rooms. The last one was the guest room, the first one was the bathroom. Sakura stopped infront of E's door and opened it slightly. At first he looked asleep, but then his voice pierced the air and he turned over.

"Sakura," he looked over at her. His eye's dull and tired. Sakura smiled slightly and walked in.

"You should be asleep. It's late and you have school tomorrow," she said as she sat on his bed. He turned on his back and looked at Sakura and nodded.

"I know. I just can't sleep," Sakura looked at him and then nodded. After a moment of silence and then he spoke again. "Sakura, what should I do?" Sakura was caught off guard by the question. She didn't even know what to do, so how was she suppose to tell him what to do.

"Um... what do you want to do?" Sakura asked him. He thought for a minute.

"I want to be stronger, so I can avenge my family," he said. Sakura frowned at how much he sounded like Sasuke, and how that path lead him to leave the village. E saw this and frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I knew a person... he said that exact same thing. He ended up betraying the village to achieve that very dream. He betrayed this very village," Sakura told him. E's eyes opened wide. Then he looked like he was thinking for a minute.

"I know... I get stronger and protect the village. I'll make sure that this won't happen again. I'll make sure that, that man who killed my family will never do anything like that again to anyone in this village. He won't see it coming," E said to Sakura. Sakura smiled at him. She knew he would.

"That's right, and I'll get stronger, too. The both of us. We'll both protect this are definitely bigger things to worry about then getting revenge. We will both get stronger," Sakura told him and most of all herself. She still felt a very strong urge to go and kill Kabuto. But she was right, there were bigger things. She had to protect E and get him ready for the outside world of ninja.

"Sakura?" E asked. Sakura looked at him. "Tomorrow after school, will you help me with my kunai practice?"

Sakura smiled at his eagerness to become stronger. She nodded. "If you go to sleep, I will help you 'till the sun goes down. Okay?" she patted his leg and tucked the blanket in around him as he nodded and rolled over.

"Goodnight, Sakura," he said tiredly. Sakura got up and walked toward the door, she turned in the door way.

"Goodnight, E. See you in the morning," she said. Then she walked out and closed the door, leaving the room in complete darkness.

She walked to her door and and opened it slowly. She walked in and closed the door. She sat on the bed, looking out the window. The moon was big and bright right outside of it. She looked over at her clock. She set it for 6:30, so she could get up and get E ready for school. She then went to sit on her window seat. She curled her legs up and leaned her head back against the wall. She could see the man in the moon. It almost looked like he was frowning. Right now everything did. Sakura looked at the rain starting to pick up. It had been going on and off all day. Raindrops sheathed her window. It looked like the heavens, even, were weeping right now. On Saturday the funeral was to be held for all of them. Tomorrow was Friday. Sakura looked at the rain, the moon, dark clouds. She thought about it all.

He use to tell her that she didnt' understand, he told her that she would never. He told her that no one could follow his path, she could right now. It she wanted, too. She told him she loved him, and he still walked away. She didn't understand why, now she knew. But he said that, that was the only path he could follow. If he wouldn't have listened to his brother and listened to her, Naruto, and Kakashi sensei, he would have found a new path. A path to help protect the village from that happening again. She looked at the moon again. Sasuke's face was in it. Then she saw him walking away. Sakura looked down, and decided that she wouldn't follow that path. She'd protect E and the village. She wouldn't make the same mistake that Sasuke did.

Sakura walked back to her bed and laid down in it. She was asleep in seconds, the hard days work getting to her. That night she dreamt of Sasuke.

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_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!... BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! ... BEEP! BE-- _Sakura hit the snooze button she turned over ready to fall back asleep, then opened her eyes slowly. The clock said 6:31. She closed her eyes again, and wondered why she had set it for that time. Then it hit her, she turned over and groaned. She had never been a morning person. And that mission had took a lot out of her. She hadn't been able to sleep good for almost two weeks.

Sakura slowly rolled out of bed until her feet hit the floor. She figured she would go to the hospital after she dropped E off at school. She hadn't worked there for a while, considering all the things going on. Tsunade wanted her to take off for a couple of weeks but working was the only way right now to be useful. She put on her ninja close, (with the war she had to be ready for anything) and hung her medical coat over the couch in the living room. She walked into E's room next to get him out of bed.

She opened the door, and went to shake him awake. "E... get up it's time for school..." she urged. E slowly rolled over and smiled. He jumped out of bed all excited. Sakura was surprised. She guessed he was a morning person.

"What are you so excited about?" she asked him as he pick out clothes for the school day, with a huge smile on his face.

"I'm gonna get stronger today... I'm gonna get down the kunai throwing. I'm gonna be an awesome ninja..." he turned to Sakura with a smile on his face. Sakura laughed at him.

"You sound like Naruto..." she said and then started to walk out. She closed the door behind her and walked to the kitchen.

She made french toast, she remembered Kahiro telling her that it was his favorite breakfast. She put the bread in eggs and then into the pan. Soon enough, E was standing at the table. Sakura set the plate down in front of him.

"Ahh... how'd you know I like french toast so much?" E asked her and dug in.

"Your mom told me..." Sakura said to him a sad smile on her face. E looked up at her with sad emerald eyes. He thought about it and nodded. Then looked down at the plate with a smile.

"She was right!!!" He said excitedly and jumped back into his plate. Sakura laughed at him as he looked at her with syrup running down his chin. She turned back around to the sink and grabbed a towel and wet it, then she wiped again. His face was smug as she did. But then she was down he dug back in. She left the towel on the side of his plate, knowing he's use it again.

When he was done he grabbed his plate and gave it to Sakura. He then turned and drank the rest of his milk then gave that glass to her.

"Thank-you..." he said with a smile.

"You're welcome... did you brush you teeth?" She asked, just making sure that he was fully ready for school. He began to nod but then stopped.

"Opp... Be right back," he held up his index finger as he spoke and then ran to the bathroom to do what he forgot. Sakura smiled at him and then washed the dishes. He came back in a minute. He smiled wide showing most of his teeth. "See all clean," he said through his teeth. Sakura looked down at him.

"Yep.. all good... ready to go," she asked him as she put on her knee high boots. He nodded and then put on his shoes. Then they both stood, and Sakura opened the door for him. He walked out a big smile on his face. They walked through the town. Sakura held her white coat in one hand and he walked beside her.

As they walked the streets people stared. Sakura could hear them whisper, whisper about them. She returned a scowl, and then was shocked as she felt E slip his hand through her empty one. She looked down at him and he was close to her. She squeezed his hand gently and he squeezed back. Sakura and him walked down the street, ignoring the rude gestures and stares. They had to walk down a ally way to get to the next street and then they were back to the outside world. The street was filled with people. They all stared, too. They whispered but they were quieter. There weren't as many people, though.

They finally made it to the school. Sakura bent down and made sure his close were straight. Then, when she was satisified, she looked up at his eyes. They were sad, far away. Sakura sighed and looked around them. There were only five people in sight. Sakura grabed his hands and whispered.

"Hey, it going to be okay," she whispered assuring words to him. He looked over at her. He stood there for a minute, and then he smiled.

"I know... I'm going to get strong today!' He said then he hugged Sakura with all the force he could muster. Sakura had to use her hand to keep from falling on her butt. Then, when she regained her balance she hugged him back.

"Have a good day," she said to him and then he turned around and walked through the doors. Sakura took a minute, then, she stood up and walked toward the hospital for a shift.

She smiled to herself. E was still so happy, and yet newly determined. Sakura had to be like him, for him. If she was sad he would be. She had to pull herself together for him. They would take care of each other.

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"Orochimaru...." Kabuto greeted. He had just got back. He was standing in the food chambers with Orochimaru and Sasuke sitting at the table. Orochimaru and Sasuke looked up at the medic. Orochimaru smiled and Sasuke turned back to his plate.

"Is it done?" Orochimaru asked him. Kabuto nodded at his lord.

"I only left Ehuro alive... I'd figure that..." Kabuto looked at Sasuke and then back to Orochimaru. "That we could use him to get what we want. Is that okay?" Orochimaru thought about it for a moment then smiled.

"I think this will work out fine... Okay, were moving," he announced. Sasuke still didn't know what this was all about, but he went along with it. He still hadn't leaned all he could from the snake.

"We leave tomorrow.." Orochimaru stated then he got up from his chair and started walking down the hall laughing his evil laugh. Sasuke stood and started after him, it was training time.

**TBC...**


	5. The Promise

Chapter 5: The Promise

Sakura looked at Lee. He was in a the hospital bed. The heart monitor beeped, telling them that his heart was still beating. Sakura ran her hands up and down Lee's body. Green chakra reflected on both of their skins, and then the chakra started to turn to different colors as her new powers surfaced. She used it all to search for any wounds that they had missed the first time. When Sakura was satisfied she stopped her jutsu and looked at a smiling Lee, staring at her lovingly. (even though his lovingly looks had become more of a brother loving type sense he met Akeno, a nurse who help Sakura out at the hospital ever so often.) Sakura smiled back.

"So, Lee, how are things going with Akeno?" Sakura asked the youthful ninja. She looked down at her clipboard to fill in some paperwork as she waited for his answer. It didn't take very long for him to answer, excited as usual.

"Akeno is well. She is so sweet. I took her out on a date last night. I took her to that ramen place Naruto is obsessed with, he's right. There ramen ROCKS! It gives me strength and boosts my youthfulness!" Lee said excited. Sakura giggled at him, as he moved his hands wickedly as he spoke. She finished filling his paperwork and tucked the clipboard underneath her arm. Then she looked at the clock on the wall. It was 2:30 pm. She needed to get going so she can pick up E at the academy. She looked back at Lee and smiled.

"That's great. I have to go. A nurse will be in a minute to discharge you," Sakura began to walk out of the room, when she turned again to Lee and said, "Remember Lee, take it easy. Get lots of rest, and don't train so much. That water-nin put a very bad strain on your body. Relax, and drink lots of fluids, okay?" She asked. Lee looked at her and nodded.

"Don't worry about me, Sakura. Youthfulness with guide me and keep me safe from har-- Akeno.." Lee sighed her name as she walked in behind Sakura. Sakura turned to her and smiled. She handed her the clipboard so she could discharge him.

"Thank-you, Sakura," Akeno said with a high pitched voice. Not as high as Hinata's but maybe one level lower. Akeno smiled at Sakura and then looked at Lee. Lee had already forgotten Sakura was there, and was staring passionately at his girlfriend.

Sakura turned and walked out of the room. She closed the door slow enough to hear Lee sigh, again, and say, "Akeno, I missed you." Sakura closed the door and stood there. Lee and Akeno worked perfect. Everyone had someone that they worked perfect with. Except her, of course. Sakura looked down and then walked slowly to the locker rooms to take a shower, change into her normal clothes and put up her medical coat.

Sakura was in the shower and then she got out and put on her clothes, all the while, thinking of one certain person. Sakura put on her knee-high boots, skirt, leggings, black undershirt, and then her red vest with her clan symbol on it. She dried her hair with a towel and then brushed it. When it was in good order, Sakura put on her leaf-nin headband. Before she did she looked at it. She pictured a long gash running across it. The way Naurto found Sasuke's. When Naruto told Sakura that he couldn't bring him back, he handed Sakura his headband. It let her know, along with the rest of Konoha, that he had truly left and giving up on the village. Sakura remembered how she cried that night. So hard. It all was too hard.

Sakura hung up her medic coat and then closed her locker, sighing heavily. She then stared, idly, at her locker. She whispered, "Sasuke, I've been trying to move on. It's hard, especially now. Do you really think we're so different, now? That I have no clue how it all feels? Do you still feel like walking your own path, alone?" Sakura stared at her locker. In the reflection was her face, sad, sorrow. "Sasuke... I miss you," Sakura whispered as if he could hear her. Then, Sakura took in her appearance and then looked up at the clock. 2:50 pm. Sakura turned and left, shaking Sasuke from her thoughts.

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Sakura was standing outside the academy waiting for E to come out. She stood against a tree, and watched the doors as kids came running out. Then she saw Iruka came out and start walking to her. Sakura got a little worried. Where was E? Iruka came closer and then he held up his index finger, gesturing Sakura to come with him, Sakura pushed off the tree and walked with her arms folded. She walked a little faster than needed, though. She went into the academy doors and saw E sitting at the end table closest to the door. Sakura heaved a sigh of relief, and then she saw he was crying. Then she took in his appearance. He had blood and scratches all over him. A nurse was sitting there trying to clean them. Sakura walked over there and stood up in front of the nurse. Sakura nodded her head, gesturing for the nurse to move. The nurse nodded slowly and then stood up to make room for Sakura. Sakura did a few hands signs and then put her hands on the crying boys body. He still had his head down. Sakura healed the wounds as fast as she could and then she got up and walked to Iruka.

"What happened?" Sakura's voice was dangerous and angry. No body touches the only thing she has left. Iruka nodded his head toward the boy, still with his head down.

"Kids were teasing him, about what happened. He got angry and started to fight with a group of older boys. I can't blame him, I would have, too. But the fact that he did more damage to all of them, then they did to him, is amazing. I wanted to talk to you about something," Sakura was angry, but then, when she heard that E did more to the other boys, Sakura was proud of the boy. He was already getting stronger. Then, when Iruka said that last part, Sakura was interested. What was it?

Sakura stayed quiet, waiting for Iruka to continue. Then, he sighed and looked at E, then, back at Sakura.

"I want to move him to the next level of the academy," Iruka told Sakura. Sakura was surprised, and then confused.

"But he hasn't even learned how to through his kunai properly," Sakura stated. Iruka shook his head. He then looked at E.

"Actually, he worked on that today. He has gotten as good as me at throwing his kunai. He also learned the shadow clone technique. The funny thing is, is that I wasn't even teaching his level that jutsu. He learned it all by himself. He really has improved, and all in one day. He is already at a level where you start to learn your chakra control," he stated. Sakura was shocked. Already at the chakra control level...

"But that's the last level of the acadamy," Sakura told him, and he nodded. "But he's only five years old."

"Yes, I know. He will probably graduate this year. That means he would have graduated at the same age as Kakashi did. He's gonna graduate a year earlier that Jiraya or Orochimaru. If he keeps all this up. He could become a new generation of Sannin. Of course, you and the old team 7, are going to be the next Sannin, but he could come after after you," Iruka stated. Sakura was looking at E, now. She could feel tears stinging her eyes. She smiled at him, he was getting stronger, just like he said he would.

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Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Sasuke were walking through the Forest. Sasuke didn't know much, but he knew that the way they were walking, was the way to the leaf village. Orochimaru walked in front next to Kabuto, discussing random things about the experiments. Sasuke walked behind them, thinking to himself, with his head down and his eyes far away.

_Are we really going to the Leaf? What does Orochimaru want there? I left to protect the leaf, and the people in it. If he's got a plan to hurt anyone, I'll have to stop it. _

_I wonder how everyone is? What do they look like? Have they gotten stronger? Should I have stayed there, with Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi? Sakura... how is she doing? I wonder how she feels? Does she still love me? Is she happy? Does she have a boyfriend? Is she okay? Why are there so many questions? _

Sasuke shook his head to get rid of all the thoughts, the thoughts about the only girl that he ever cared for. He had tried to cut the bonds with his former team, but it was harder than he expected. Naruto _was_his best friend. Kakashi understood him, and was always like a second father to him. Sakura... she always was so caring, she always loved him for who he was and not his background. She always was there, she always, some how got through the mask that Sasuke held, and knew what he was thinking, how he felt, and what he was planning. She even knew that he was leaving, she meet him when he was almost gone. He tried to cut those bonds, but he couldn't. He did enough to where he could live without them there with him, but not enough that he could live without them there in the world. He had always wondered what they were doing, how they were. He always dreamed that he could be there with them.

Sasuke knew that he shouldn't have left. He actually realized it when he got to Orochimaru's layer. He couldn't go back though, he was already a missing-nin. He left all who cared for him and all he cared for. He said to himself that he would go back after he was done with his first goal. He, now, doesn't even care that the second goal comes true. But if it did, he knew who he would start a family with.

"What's wrong Sasuke?" Kabuto was looking back at Sasuke with a grin as he spoke. Sasuke didn't look up, but clenched his teeth together. He had never liked the medic or the snake.

"Hn," he said.

"All that time and we never thought you to speak more than one word. No body understand what you say. What a pity. Tsk, tsk," Kabuto turn back around with a grin and Orochimaru laughed an evil laugh.

Sasuke thought about it. There was one person who would understood what he meant. That was Sakura. He had said, "I miss her." But they didn't know that. Sasuke looked up at the clouds that were darkening with the sun beginning to fade over the horizon. He breathed in heavily through his nose and back out. When he closed his eyes, he only saw one person.

_Sakura..... I miss you...._

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Sakura was walking down the street, going home after a long day at the hospital. This time it was Naruto in the hospital. What a knucklehead. She was on her way home because E insisted that he would walk home himself. He said that he was strong and that he can take care of himself. So after a little convincing, Sakura agreed. E would be home right now. It was about 8:00 pm. Sakura didn't mean to stay at the hospital that late, but she wanted to make sure Naruto was okay. She knew that E would be okay. So she walked through the darkening streets of Konoha to get to where she was going. Almost everyone was in their house, getting ready for bed. She was about to fall dead on her feet. She didn't sleep at all last night, thinking about E's level upgrade. He'll be going on missions, and getting in danger. Last night she thought about that until around 4:00 am. Then, she didn't fall asleep till about 4:30 am. Then, she got up at 6:30, meaning she had around 2 hours of sleep. Then she worked all day. She was ready for bed.

When she got to her house, she saw that the lights were all out.

_Maybe he already went to bed..._

But then, Sakura felt a chakra. It was evil, it was.....

_Kabuto!_

Sakura ran into the house to see darkness. Pitch dark, but she could sense him. She tried to find where E was, but she couldn't find him. She started to panic, she started to get angry. She clenched her teeth, and clenched her fists. Then Kabuto's laughter filled the room, with an deadly intintion.

"Where is Ehuro?" Sakura sounded out every syllable with a deadly sting. "Tell me..." she waited for an answer, and then she felt three more chakra's appear in the room. Then, Kabuto turned on the living room light and the brightness blinded Sakura for a moment. When she could see straight again, she was shocked, even though she didn't let it show.

In front of her was Orochimaru holding a crying Ehuro, with a hand over his mouth; then there was Kabuto smiling wickedly at her; and then there was the boy who had left her all those years ago. He was standing there, no expression but Sakura could feel him staring at her. Sakura didn't look at him long, just long enough to let her know who he was, and then her eyes were back on Ehuro and Orochimaru. Kabuto even, anywhere but him. She looked at Ehuro, he was crying, but underneath the tears was anger. She looked at Sakura and then at Kabuto. He wasn't wiggling, he was still in Orochimaru's death grip. Sakura then looked at Orochimaru.

"Orochimaru," Sakura said to the snake. "Kabuto," she looked at the murderer, and her voice was filled with anger and rudeness. "Sasuke," she nodded in his direction without looking at him. Then she looked back at Kabuto and glared at him.

"What do you want, Kabuto?" Sakura knew what they wanted. They were using E to get to her. Just because she was stronger now. Kabuto's grin widened.

"Tsk, tsk. That's no way to talk to your older brother, sis," Kabuto said to her. Sakura clenched her teeth and her fist. She started to gather up chakra in her fists, ready to strike.

Sasuke was shocked, although he didn't let it show. He was shocked when Sakura barely acknowledged him, and then now, when Kabuto just called her his sister, and said he was her older brother.

_That means that.... they are realated. And he came here the other day and killed his family. Was it her family?_

When Sasuke saw her start to chakra-fuse her fists he guarded himself, and then looked at Kabuto.

Apparently, Orochimaru saw it, too.

Ehuro' s piercing scream was muffled by Orochimaru's hand. Then, Orochimaru let the boy fall to the floor. Sakura panicked and looked sharply at Orochimaru.

"What are you doing to him?" She asked with a sting. She watched Ehuro twitch on the floor and heard his moans. Sakura watched with horror, but she could move, she was too scared.

Orochimaru laughed evilly, as always and Sakura started to fuse her fists again.

"STOP!" Sakura yelled at him. She couldn't think, she didn't know what to do when Kabuto bent down and held a kunai to the back of E's neck. She stopped everything and glared at Kabuto. Sakura panicked, she couldn't let anything happen to him.

"Okay, okay. Just stop, please. I'll do anything you want me to. Please, just stop hurting him," Sakura didn't realize when she started to get on her knees and cry. She was just wanting them to stop. Sakura was almost convinced that they would kill E, when he stopped wiggling and Kabuto raised back to stand. Sakura sighed with relief. She looked at Ehuro, making sure he was okay. He was asleep. Sakura put her hand to her chest, and cried half-heartily. It was like the tears fell, but she was too angry to all out cry. Her eyes were wide at Orochimaru and Kabuto.

"You have to come with us. Come with us, and he will live," Sakura looked up at the murderer who spoke to her. She looked at him with a deadly glare. After a minute of silence, he stopped grinning and became serious. "Well, what will it be?" he asked her.

"I'm gonna kill you, Kabuto. For what you did to my family. I'm gonna be the one to take your life, like you did theirs. At the end of this, when this is all over, you'll be dead and your blood will be on my hands. I'm not going to take it easy on you, your gonna die a long and painful death. You can count on that..." Sakura said to him. She was promising him that she would kill him. And she would. Kabuto looked at her with a glare of his own. Orochimaru watched with a slight grin on his face. Sasuke couldn't believe he was hearing Sakura say that.

_So it was her family, too.... Sakura....._

"Sak-- Saku--- Sakura...." Ehuro stumbled over his words as he came back awake. Sakura looked down at him and smiled. E twisted to get on his hands and knees and started to crawl to her. Sakura scooted forward a few feet, and then grabbed E and held him in her lap. She cried on his head as he cried on her chest.

"It's okay, E. Everything is fine. It'll be okay. Your gonna stay with Iruka-sensei for a little while. I'm going on a mission," She lied to him. She knew that he knew it was a lie. But it still made him feel better to know that no matter what, she'd come back as soon as she could. Sakura rocked him back and forth on the floor, as they cried.

Sasuke watched them and felt a part in him rise. A part of his childhood, when he saw his family's dead body's all over the place. But at least, he never saw one get tortured like that. Sakura knew how he felt now. He never wanted her to feel like he did. Right then, Sasuke decided that, when the time came, he would help Sakura any way he could to kill Kabuto and then come back here.

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Sakura and Ehuro were in his room. They had a backpack filled and they were filling it with clothes. Sakura had tears streaking her face as did E. The others were in the living room, making a plan for sneaking out of the village. Sakura grabbed a jacket and wrapped it around E's shoulders. Then she gave him his shoes so he could put them on. E was stiff, he moved slowly to the floor to slip on his shoes. His tears moved freely down his cheeks. He wasn't sobbing like Sakura was. Sakura sniffed to hold back most of her tears. She put an extra pair of clothes in the bag and then zipped it up. Then, while she waited for E to finish putting his shoes on, she wrote a note.

**Dear Iruka,**

**Please take care of Ehuro. It would mean a lot to me. I want him to graduate and become a strong ninja. Please, I have to leave for a while, but when I come back, I want to see him in good health and strong. Thank- you Iruka. I will come back some day. Tell Naruto that I'll miss him and I will come back, and then no matter what, I'll always be there for him. Tell all the others that I'll miss them, too, and that I'll wish everyday that they are safe. Thank-you again. You were the best teacher I've ever had. Don't let E forget me, please. And tell Tsunade that she was like a mother to me, and I'll be thinking of her, too. I love you all, always have, always will, and I'll return someday to prove it to you all. **

**Sakura. **

She folded it up and wiped away the tears that had rolled down her face while writing. She turned and got up to see E standing behind her, holding his arms out. Sakura looked down at him and smiled at him. She still had to be strong. She was well aware of the fact that now they both were losing the family that they had left. She was sure he was aware of that fact, too. The room was silent as Sakura bent down and pulled E into her embrace. E tucked his head into Sakura's shoulder, as Sakura snuggled her face in his hair. She sniffed trying to take in his scent. To remember him. To make a memory. All they did was cry on each other until a voice whipped through the silence.

"Let's go!" Kabuto used his striking voice. It make Sakura clench her teeth and fists. She would get her revenge. Then, she released E, but still he held on. Sakura then, picked him up and his backpack and walked out of the room. She wasn't watching where she was going, because she bumped into somebody. She looked up and then quickly looked down again.

"Um... we have to take him to Iruka's," Sakura told him with her head down.

"Hn," Sakura heard Sasuke say. She smiled to herself when she realized that his vocabulary hadn't really changed. She wondered how much else hadn't changed. He moved out of her way and Sakura slipped past him. She then noted that E was fast asleep on her shoulder. She tightly hugged him more and moved to the living room, Sasuke behind her. Kabuto and Orochimaru were there waiting in the living room.

"She's taking to take him to the academy teacher," Sasuke told them. Then, he moved around Sakura and started to walk out of the door. Kabuto followed and so did Orochimaru. Sakura was confused, they just left her here. She stood there for a second, looking around her house. A tear slipped down her cheek looking at all the photos. She was in there for a moment before Kabuto came back in. He looked at her and smiled evily. Sakura clenched her body, holding E tighter.

"Let's go, now," he said. Sakura walked toward the door, then when she was about to step out, Kabuto said, "We don't want to keep Lord Orochimaru waiting." Sakura stepped out to see Orochimaru and Sasuke waiting.

"Orochimaru is no lord of mine," she said looking straight at the snake. He just simply laughed his creepy laugh, then started walking away again.

Sakura was leading the way to the academy, Kabuto was behind her and Orochimaru was beside him. Sasuke was in the back of the group. Sakura held E tightly, keeping in mind that Kabuto was right behind her. She felt E stir and then fall back to sleep, lightly snoring in her ear. Sakura felt another tear slip down her face, adding to the pool that was at the bottom of her chin. Then, she felt the pool drip off of her cheek and onto the dirt road. Sakura tried to hold back her tears. But she could deny the fact that she wasn't fully use to her powers and didn't know that times to use them. She knew that if she tried to use them, they wouldn't help against all three of them. She would fail. She then felt Kabuto pull the hand of E. Sakura flipped. She turned around to face Kabuto and growled.

"Don't fucking touch him," she growled. Kabuto laughed at her and then he put a hand up to touch E's back. Sakura saw this and then she left her powers lose. She grabbed onto Kabuto's hand and then got inside of his mind. She heard Kabuto gasp as she entered his mind. Sakura was in his mind and noticed how dark it all was. It was evil. Sakura pushed that aside and then looked through her own memory, looking for the most disturbing images and along with them, the most pain she ever endured. She knew that the pain she felt then would make him feel it. When she was stabbed through her stomach by the poisoned sword of Sasori was one of them. That was one of the most painful things she had ever been through, and now Kabuto was feeling that pain.

Sakura felt Kabuto fall to his knees. That's when Sakura opened her eyes and let go of his hand. She looked down at Kabuto who had tears streaking his pain.

"So, Sasori stabbed you, huh? How did you survive?" Kabuto looked up at Sakura who just had hard eyes.

"That's none of your business, all that matters is that I killed him and that I will do the same to you," Sakura said to him and then turned to walk to the academy again.

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Sakura finally reached the academy, and set a sleepy E on his feet. He rubbed his eyes and then looked at Sakura. He then looked over at Sasuke, Orochimaru, and Kabuto. Then, he looked at Sakura with tears in his eyes.

"Will you come back?" He asked her. Sakura looked at him closely and then she took her hand to wipe the tear away.

"I'm coming back, don't worry, I'll be back," Sakura told him. Then, she gathered him in a hug, and he cried on her shoulder. "I promise," she said to him.

E nodded and then let go of Sakura. He knew it was time to got their separate ways. He looked at the men again, and then looked at Sasuke, who was standing against a tree. E looked at him and then spoke.

"I had a dream about him and you, Sakura. You were screaming at him and then he left you on a bench. It was a very sad dream. I remember wondering why he left you, what could be better than someone who is there for you. But, I guess it was just a dream..." E turned back to Sakura and hugged her once more. Sakura couldn't believe what she heard. How did E know about that? Sakura looked up at Sasuke who was looking away from her and E. Sakura couldn't tell, but he almost looked sad. Then, he looked like he was trying to figure something out in his head. Sakura dismissed it all, because she could barely see it in his face. She wondered if it was just her imagination. So, she held E a little bit closer and then let go. She pulled out the note that went to Iruka and gave it to E.

"E go into the school and wake Iruka-sensei up. Give him this and then go to one of the rooms and get some sleep. Don't worry, I'll come back, okay?" Sakura said to him. Then she watched E nod and then turn his back to her. Sakura watched him walk away and then she turned to walk to the group that were taking her away from her family. She looked down, away from everyone. She thought about what the future would bring, and wondered when she'd come back, and how E was going to be then.

"Let's go," Orochimaru said and then Sakura saw her legs go up in flames. It didn't hurt so she watched it slowly ride up her legs and then engulf her torso, and then she closed her eyes and thought of E as the rest engulfed her.

When Sakura opened her eyes again she saw the dark gates of the village. She looked at it, wishing that she could go back in but then she felt someone grab her arm roughly and Sakura turned her eyes to meet onyx ones. A silent message transferred between them and then Sakura yanked her arm out of his hold and walked the way Orochimaru and Kabuto were headed. Sasuke felt a twinge of hurt go through him as she walked away. Then, he started walking behind them.

Sakura wanted to hug him, but she didn't know what he would do. Then, she realized that she was being touched by the man that had her heart and that left her on that bench. She knew that she was mad at him for leaving her there, and now she was mad that he couldn't leave her alone. That's why she whipped her arm away.

_Damn, can't he make up his damned mind! _Sakura said to herself. Then, she thought sourly about the time that she would be spending with him. Then those sour thoughts turned into pleasant ones. She would be spending time with him. Maybe she could convince him to come back to Konoha someday with her. Maybe convince him to love her.

_Just maybe.... there's hope.... _


	6. The Same

Chapter 6: The Same

They had been walking all day so far, it was around noon because the sun was at it's highest point in the sky. Sakura walked with her head down, looking at her feet, and silently listening to the conversation that Kabuto and Orochimaru were having in front of her. Then she, also, quietly listened to the footsteps behind her. They were slow, heavy footsteps that still kept pace and never faltered to leave him behind. Sakura slowly and barely lifted her head to see around her. She wasn't surprised when all she saw was trees, trees, and more trees. The trees made it easier for enemies to hide.

They had already been ambushed twice, but they were just chunnin who had wanted Sakura's power also. But, of course, they were no match for a skilled, heartless missing ninja, like Kabuto. Kabuto and Sasuke did all the work, he covered Orochimaru, while Sasuke covered himself, and in the mean time covered Sakura. Sakura on the other hand, was hoping for them to capture her, cause then she could easily escape and go home. Then, she wanted them to leave her alone, she didn't want them dieing. Kabuto killed the ones he fought with, but Sasuke didn't. He just knocked them out. Orochimaru and Kabuto told him that he needed to become merciless, so he could defeat Itachi. It surprised Sakura when he spoke.

"Hn, they're not the ones I want to kill," he said emotionless. Sakura kept her head down but she wondered how much of the old Sasuke was still left. Sakura pictured Sasuke to have become as heartless as Orochimaru and Kabuto, and to kill anything in sight without a second thought, but no... he was still the old Sasuke deep, deep down. Sakura thought about it and she knew that to get him to come back to Konoha, she'd have to make him dig deep, deep down and pull up the old Sasuke.

A faint chakra signature pulled Sakura from her thoughts. Then, she felt 19 more. There were 20 jounins ahead of them, about 5 miles, ready to ambush them. They were trying to smother their chakra but it didn't fool Sakura's powers. Sakura could even tell that they were from the village hidden in the grass. Sakura sighed and then lifted her head a fraction.

"Let's go another way..." she said to the men. She heard all of them stop and turn to her. Sakura lifted her head to meet Kabuto and Orochimaru's confused faces.

"Why?" Kabuto asked with a deadly ring in his voice. Sakura sighed again, and then she jerked her head to the path ahead of the group.

"There are 20 grass ninjas ahead. All jounin," she told them. For a second they all lowered there heads a little bit to try and see if she was telling the truth. Sakura knew that they wouldn't be able to. Her chakra sensing was a lot stronger than theirs. Sakura sighed knowing that they wouldn't believe her. They all lifted their heads and looked at Sakura.

"I don't feel anything," Kabuto said to her.

"Sorry, dear, I don't either. Sasuke?" Orochimaru asked. Sakura listened for his answer hoping that maybe he'd believe her, and maybe say something. There was a pause. A long one, as everyone waited for his answer.

"Hn, no." Sakura sighed. Of course, the vocabulary was still there, and he couldn't feel them. Sakura looked at Orochimaru and Kabuto. Kabuto smiled and so did Orochimaru.

"We keep going..." Orochimaru said and then started walking, Kabuto walking beside her.

Sakura stood there for a minute and so did Sasuke. Then, when Sakura started to walk, so did he. She kept walking and he silently followed behind. Sakura slowly looked over her shoulder to see what he was doing. Emerald met onyx; Heaven met hell; fire met ice. Sasuke had, as usual, a blank expression on his all to perfect face. He stared into Sakura's eyes. Sakura scowled at him and then gripped her jaw tighter.

"What are you doing? Why are you following me?" She asked him. Sasuke did nothing, a long pause passed between them.

"Hn... to keep an eye on you," he said to her. Sakura grented her teeth tighter and her fist became so tight that the pressure on her figures made her whole hand scream in protest. Then she turned around and started to walk again, not knowing that she had stopped.

"Well, it's annoying..." she said only loud enough for him to hear her. She felt his step falter a little bit but in a second it was bad to normal. She smiled at that. _Ha... How's it feel. _All she heard behind her was footsteps and a low voice.

"Hn..." His voice was so low that Sakura had a hard time hearing it, but yes she heard that low one word. _If it's even a word... _

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They had walked for about 4 more miles. The sun had lowered only a fraction. She and Sasuke had caught back up with Orochimaru and Kabuto. No one was talking. Sakura kept tracking the ninja's up ahead. They had smothered there chakra to where anyone but her could sense it. She sighed, she hated it when those people who ambushed them earlier died. She hated it that some of these people would die because of her, too. They were about a quarter of a mile from the ambush spot. Sakura sighed again.

"They are about a quarter of a mile ahead..." she told them all. No one really listened, they all kept on walking. She sighed again.

They walk a little more to where they were about half of a quarter of a mile there. "We are half way there..." she told them. Nobody, again, paid attention to her. She sighed again. They were stubborn weren't they. Sakura hated this, they were going to die, because of her. Then, she told herself that no one would die, she would stop Kabuto and anyone else who tried to kill anyone. They were only doing there mission. They kept walking.

"They are about 100 feet ahead..." she told them. Kabuto looked back at her with a cold stare but then turned back around and kept walking. Sakura sighed again. Then she started to get her chakra ready for the technique she was going to have to use.

"50 feet..." she told them. They all kept walking. Sakura got the technique ready.

They walked a little longer, and then, "10 feet..." Sakura sighed again when they kept walking ahead. Then, she smiled as she saw Kabuto reach into his holster and pull out a kunai. _So they were listening..._then Sakura walked waiting for a signal that the ambush would start.

"5... 4... 3... 2..." She heard the silent whisper over their communicators.

Sakura sighed and then whispered to her group, "Now..." just then, all 20 grass ninja's jump at them, from the trees and from underneath the ground. Sakura stood there, ready to act if Kabuto or anyone tried to kill them. Kabuto stood in front of Orochimaru, kunai at the ready. Sasuke stood next to Sakura, his hand on his katana. Then, when they got closer, Sasuke stood there, barely even moving, knocking them out. Kabuto was about to stab one through the heart, but before he could, he froze. He tried to move but he was stuck. He looked around and so was everyone else. Sasuke, Orochimaru, Kabuto, and all the grass ninja were frozen.

"What the hell? What is this?" "This is the Shadow jutsu... from the Nara clan in Konoha." "Is it the girl?" "It must be!" "I can't believe she caught everybody in the jutsu!" "She's stronger than I thought..." Sakura heard these comments from all around her.

"SHUT UP!" She called to all of them. Everyone was silent. Kabuto was frozen so he couldn't turn his head to glare at Sakura, but he wanted to. Sakura could feel the tension coming from him. She ignored it. Sakura looked around her, everyone's heads moving with hers. "None of you have a chance..." Sakura smiled at them. Then used the strangle shadow and everyone, except Sasuke and Orochimaru, had hands growing up to their throat.

Some started to scream, other's watched in horror. Kabuto stood there, trying to move. He sighed when it was useless. When the grass ninja's were freaked out enough, Sakura used a jutsu that she got from someone else that was in the line of lightning that day.

She held them in place with the Shadow Obsession Jutsu and then, she bent down, as did everyone else, and did a number of complicated hand signs, then she slammed her hand on then ground and a series of words were written on the ground, and each line went to everyone of the grass nins. They all screamed out as it came towards them. Then the words circled around each and everyone of their body's and up to their eyes. The lines of words forced themselves into the eyes of the enemy and then as most of them were done, she let the Shadow go, letting them fall to the floor, asleep. The only one that was left in the Shadow Obession Jutsu was Kabuto.

Kabuto was speechless, he had heard of the Sleep Ward Jutsu before, but not much was said on it, it was a forbidden jutsu. It was said that anyone who really mastered it could kill someone from it. Put them under a forever sleep. It was a powerful jutsu, that required almost perfect Chakra Control, and lots of it. Only the best ninja could use it, and he had only heard of the Akinori clan in the land of Earth, being able to use it. Kabuto then wondered what else Sakura had got from the Power Transfer Jutsu in the land of Lightning. Kabuto tried moving again, to no avail.

"Mmmm....Impressive..." Orochimaru stated. Then he noticed that Kabuto hadn't moved from his protective stance. Then he smiled, then he turned his head to look at Sakura. She was still crouched down and was still glaring at Kabuto. Orochimaru smiled at the thought that Sakura wasn't even breathing heavily... after all she had held 23 people down and then tried to choke 21 of them, and then she put 20 of them to sleep. And now, she was still holding one of them. "Sakura dear..." Sakura looked over at Orochimaru with a glare. "Let Kabuto go.." when she made no move to do so, Orochimaru's smiled faltered and then he attacked Sakura with his Mind Torture Jutsu. Sakura fell to her hands and knees and let of a moan of protest and pain. Her jutsu failed and Kabuto feel to his knees. Then he stood up, and nodded in Orochimaru's direction.

Orochimaru was smiling and then his smiled disappeared in a flash. Then, he moaned in pain, and hit his knees. Sakura then, panting, started to stand up. She looked at Orochimaru and her eyes were like death. Sakura was using her more advanced Mind Torture Jutsu. It was a lot stronger than his, and she knew it. Just by him coming in contact with her mind with his Jutsu, she could use her's against his, and he would lose. Sakura kept on torturing Orochimaru, and he would gasp in pain.

"Lord Orochimaru! What's happening?" Kabuto asked looking down on his Lord in horror.

"I- it's h-her... Ahh!" Orochimaru told him with a unsteady voice. Kabuto's eyes widened and then he attacked Sakura.

Kabuto ran towards her with his kunai held up. Sakura didn't seem to be frightened by it. As he was about to plunge his kunai into her shoulder, Sakura was gone. Kabuto didn't even see her move, she was fast. Before Kabuto knew it, Sakura's foot planted itself into the crook of his heck and he slammed into the ground. The ground was dented from the impact of the force. Sakura was standing above him, with her foot on the back of his neck, ready to push down and break it into a million pieces, if he so much as moved.

Sasuke watched all of this with interest. He couldn't believe that Sakura Haruno had become this strong. She was just now starting to breath heavy with all the chakra she used and all the movement she had used. And she was still ready for more, she even over came Orochimaru's Mind Torture Jutsu. Sasuke watched Sakura, with her eyes full of blood lust right now, she had changed drastically. She wasn't the weak little girl that she used to be, she was a strong ninja now. She could take on Kabuto, and hold down 23 people with one jutsu. Then, put 20 of them to sleep. She was truly amazing.

Sasuke watched Orochimaru stand up and walk over to Sakura. Sakura to busy trying to decided if she wanted to kill Kabuto right now, barely even noticed. Then she fell to the ground as Orochimaru hit her up side her head with a hard thump. Sasuke had never seen that look in Orochimaru's eyes. He almost looked terrified, and annoyed at the same time. Kabuto slowly got up from his crater and stood up. He looked at Orochimaru with a look that said 'thank- you' and then he looked at Sakura. He lifted his foot to hit her in the chest.

Then, as he was about to hit her in the chest, Sasuke kicked his foot out of the way, and stood in between the sleeping Sakura and the angry Kabuto. Kabuto looked at Sasuke with a death look.

"What are you doing, Sasuke?" Kabuto asked him. Sasuke didn't know what he was doing, well, he knew, but he didn't know what to tell them. So he quickly came up with an answer.

"Hn... Would you go as low as to hurt someone when they were defenseless?" Sasuke asked with a stern and steady look. The question caught Kabuto off guard. He grented his teeth and fists.

"Sasuke is right, Kabuto. Let it go. Now, let's get to the hideout. Someone carry that brat," Orochimaru ordered and then he started walking between the sleeping bodies, keeping in mind that they were sleeping and defenseless, just like Sasuke said. Kabuto straightened his posture and then grunted at Sasuke, then he followed his Lord. Sasuke looked at them and then at the sleeping Sakura. He sighed realizing that he was the only one left that could carry her. Sasuke turned around and picked up the sleeping angel, bridal style, and then followed the medic and his teacher. He walked slow and heavy, not liking that he just turned into a pack mule.

Sasuke looked down at Sakura and he almost wanted to smirk at her. _Almost_. She was in his arms, her head leaned into his chest, and her left hand was on her stomach, while her right one was hanging limp on her side. Her bangs covered her eyes, and her breathing was steady. She was in a deep sleep, and would be for a while. Sasuke looked at her face, at her closed eyes, at her perfect nose, at her forehead- which she had grown into-, and at her lips. He lushes, pink, smooth, plump lips. Sasuke then felt the need to kiss her, but quickly blocked the need, and looked up before it became to much. Sasuke followed the other two to the new hideout, about 5 miles from here. It was just inside the border of the Land of Rice Patties, which was where the sound village was, deep in the heart of this Land.

Sasuke knew that Orochimaru had already started making plans to get his body. He knew he had about a month. He knew that once they reached the Sound village, that his time was up. Sasuke looked down at the fallen angel in his arms. Sasuke knew what would happen to Sakura after he left. She would become a playmate for one of the ninja's in the village. She would most likely be raped and then killed. She would be beaten, starved, raped, ordered, beaten some more, and then, be beaten until she was murdered. Sasuke knew that without his protection, Sakura would be killed, and to his dislike, he wasn't going to let that happen. He couldn't leave her to be beaten to death. He couldn't leave her to live the life of a pleasure slave. He knew what he had to do. He looked at Orochimaru and Kabuto, and then back to Sakura.

_I have a month to get her out of here..._

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Sakura felt a soft surface underneath her. Well, it wasn't soft, soft, but it was softer than what she was expecting. She expected a hard and cold ground to be sleep on, but was comforted with a semi-soft, warm bed. Sakura turned over and then slowly shook the sleepiness from her head. Then she slowly cracked her eyes open. It was as if her eyes were still closed, she couldn't see a thing. It was pitch dark.

Sakura sat up right and activated her Byakugan. She located them. Kabuto was in a room with Orochimaru. Sakura could tell that Orochimaru was sitting in a chair, and Kabuto was standing in front of him. They were probably making plans. Then she found Sasuke. He was in a open area at the other end of the hideout. Sakura could then tell that he was training. Then she found new people. They all had a dark aurora surrounding them, like Sasuke had. They must of had the curse mark, too. Sakura then noticed that there were about 300 of them. They were bunched into groups of 20, all in little jail cells. And all of the jail cells were on a lower level of the hideout, and in a huge open area. Sakura felt bad for them.

Then she looked back in on Orochimaru and Kabuto, who were just a few doors down from her. Sakura noticed that their positions had changed and Sakura almost puked when she saw what was happening.

Orochimaru and Kabuto were kissing, and then she noticed that Kabuto had shed his layer of clothes and Orochimaru had shed his pants. They started fucking. Sakura couldn't take it anymore. She turned off her Byakugan and got out of bed.

She was still disgusted, she never wanted to think about it again. Then, she stumped her toe on the door frame, and the thought escaped her mind to her liking. Sakura cursed under her breath, and then smothered her chakra, to make sure no one noticed her. She opened the door and saw the hall lit by torches.

Sakura then noticed how unsteady she was. She swayed on her feet and then when she wasn't dizzy she started to walk towards the training room. She followed the path until it went into a fork with two more halls. She activated her Byakugan again and walked toward her ex-teammate. When she arrived at the hall, she deactivated it, and walked the rest of the way.

She heard a loud crash before she got there, and then the floor below her feet shook with the impact. Sakura smiled at the thought that he got what he came here for. He got the power. Sakura walked into a rock doorway and saw the open area.

It was huge maybe half a mile in diameter. She looked at the damaged walls and the torn up floor. Then she spotted Sasuke in the middle of it all. Sakura stood against the wall with her chakra smothered. She watched as Sasuke did a jutsu she had never seen.

He did a series of hand signs and then he held up his hands, palms open and facing outwards. Sakura saw the chakra, it was so dominate and strong. Then he swung his hands to the side and at his motion the wall on the far side of him tumbled down at the base. Sakura watched it all with awe. It was the wall furthest from her and the rumble was so big, she almost fell down as the rocks came crashing down.

When the dust settled, she saw Sasuke stand up and start walking toward the door and her, with his head down. Sakura watched him walk closer to her, when he was almost there, she flared her chakra to let him know she was there. At this, his head slowly came up to meet her eyes. She smirked at him. She had her arms folded and her back against the wall. Sasuke looked at her and then she stopped walking, and lowered his head a bit.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her. Sakura's smirk dissapeared for a moment and then it came back a bit bigger. She lowered her head and closed her eyes.

"I didn't want to hear Kabuto moan Orochimaru's name... Did you know they were... lovers?" She asked him. She opened her eyes and looked at him through her bangs. He still had his head down.

"Hn.." was all he said. Sakura could tell that he didn't know, just because of his tone of voice. Sakura smiled at the trying to imagine what he was thinking right now. Then she lower her head back down and closed her eyes.

"Yep... it's disgusting. So what about you... do you have... anyone?" Sakura asked. Sakura was surprised at the question that slipped from her mouth, but she didn't show it. She felt Sasuke lift his head to look at her, but she didn't meet his gaze, she just kept her head down and her eyes closed. There was a pause before he answered.

"Hn, no... What do you want, Sakura?" The question sent shivers down her spine. It bothered her at how she loved it when he said her name. Then, Sakura thought. She didn't know what she wanted. She wanted to go home... but that wasn't what he meant.

"Well, if you really want to know, I want to go home, but--"

"That's not what I meant.." He cut her off. Sakura looked up at him with a glare on her face. He met hers with one of his own. Sakura looked down again and closed her eyes.

"It's rude to cut people off. Didn't Orochimaru teach you that? Oh, I forgot... You've been living with cavemen... Now, can I finish what I was saying... Or will you just interrupt me again?" She asked him in a hard voice.

"Hn..." Sakura didn't know what it meant but she took it as she could go on.

"I was going to say that I needed some food. I was wondering where I would find some?" Sakura kept her head down. Then, she turned it up when she felt him start walking out.

"Hn..." he said to her. Sakura looked after him with a questioning look. She then sighed at his vocabulary, and then followed him, she guessed that is what he meant. So she walked behind him.

They walked through a series of hallways. She wondered, idly, how big this place really was. She would have to check it out later.

"You know that it was stupid?" Sasuke's question caught her off guard. She looked at his back and then raised an eyebrow at him.

"What was stupid?" She asked him. He turned his head to look at her over his shoulder, his coal black stare on his face. He almost looked mad. Then, it was gone, as he turned back around.

"Going against Orochimaru..." he said shortly. Sakura scoffed at him and then lowered her head with her eyes closed and her arms folded across her chest.

"Mm... Maybe it was but he need a taste of his own medicine."

"It was dangerous," he said.

"Do you think I am scared of him? I've been up against worse people before. I've been through enough pain to not feel pain anymore. I'm not scared of pain, and I'm defiantly not scared of that snake..." She said it bitterly. Sasuke thought about when he heard about he killing Sasori. Then, he thought about her pain. Her family being murdered, him leaving her, and any other pain she might of felt. She knew she probably wanted to die, but was only living on for her little brother.

"Hn..." he said to her. Sakura sighed.

"You really need to expand that vocabulary of yours. It's annoying," she said with a sigh. Sasuke stiffened. How was he annoying? She was the annoying one. Sasuke kept walking.

"Hn..." he said again. Sakura sighed.

"No wonder you don't have a lover. Who could stand that one word? You'd die of annoyance after just one day..." Sakura mumbled under breath. Sasuke looked back at her, she still had her head down but was smiling. Sasuke turned around and turned down another hall. Sakura looked up over his shoulder to see a dark room.

There was a candle on a table. It had four chairs around it. Sasuke walked into the room and around the table, into another room. Sakura looked around, she saw food on the floor. Some were on crates, and there were only fruits and veggies. She looked at it more closely and realized it was all rotten.

"Uck... that's disgusting... it's all rotten. How do you eat this stuff?" She turned to look at Sasuke. Sasuke picked a spot on a wall and leaned aginst it with his arms across his chest and his yes closed.

"Hn... bare it," he said shortly. Sakura sighed and looked at the food.

"Don't you guys have money? Isn't there some village around here where you can buy stuff?" Sakura picked up an apple that didn't look to bad. there were a few bruises on it and it had started to turn brown on some places but it was eatable in some other place. She took a bite of it and almost puked at the bad and rotten taste. "This is awful.." Sakura said aloud. Yes, it was awful but Sakura took another bite, nevertheless.

"Hn..." Sakura sighed at him again. She took another bite of the apple, then racked her brain for questions that would require more than a one worded answer.

After a minute Sakura thought of one.

"How do you plan on killing..." Sakura didn't want to say his name so she settled on, "_him_, if Orochimaru is going to take your body before you get the chance?" She looked at him. She saw him visibly stiffen, and then he relaxed a bit.

"Hn..." he said. Sakura sighed. Then she tried to get him to talk more.

"You do know that Orochimaru probably will never keep his promise after you're gone. He'll probably just take your body and then take over some village, and your brother will keep living, never paying for his sin..." Sakura told him. Then, she took another bite of her apple, while she waited for an answer. It was about a minute before he made one.

"Hn..." He said to her. His voice was harded than it was before. Sakura swallowed her apple, and then sighed at a wasted effort. Then, she tried once more.

"You're okay with him living on? When your the only one who can kill him, and then you die before you have the chan--"

"He will die..." Sasuke said. Sakura almost smiled at getting him to talk. She couldn't stop now.

"How can you be so sure... when you won't be alive to see it happen?" She asked as she stood and leaned against the wall opposite him.

"He will die..." Sasuke's voice was harder.

"And so will you.." Sakura stated.

"Death doesn't bother me..." Sasuke said with a gentler voice.

"But dying before him does," Sakura stated face. She saw him stiffen again.

"Hn... he will still die," he said with a hard voice.

"You won't be so sure... You're not even sure now. How can you be sure if you don't take his life yourself?" She asked him. She folded her arms over her chest.

"He will die... no matter what, he will die," Sasuke said with a low voice.

"Don't you want to see the light leave his eyes? Don't you want to take revenge on him... Or are you going to give that responsibility to Orochimaru? Who probably won't even do it..." Sakura closed her eyes and lowered her head.

"Shut up..." he told her. Sakura looked up at him with a glare.

"This is still the touchy subject with you.... you're unbelievable! How can you still be obsessed with this after all this time?!?" She almost screamed at him.

"SHUT UP! You don't know what you're talking about! You have no idea how it feels..." he stopped, when he realized that she did. She looked up at her and her head was down and he couldn't see her eyes.

Sakura was angry now. He still thought that they were different... that she didn't know how it felt. That she didn't know what this pain was. Sakura clenched her fist.

"You think that I don't know how it feels? Did you know that my family was taken away from me, too? Did you know that their murderer is in this same hideout? Did you know that you and _your_ _Lord _took me away from what was left of my family? Did you know that I could have been happy, if you would have just stayed the hell away from me!?! Did you know that it only happened a few days ago? Do you know how bad I want to kill Kabuto right, NOW!?!" Sakura looked up at him, to see him looking at her. They stared at each other. "Do you know that we are not so different, afterall? Do you know anything?!?" she asked him.

Sakura was mad. Her teeth were grented. Her fists were tightened. Her eyes were hard. Sasuke was still quiet. There was a long silence.

"Sakura... my whole clan was murdered. Your family was murdered. It's different..." he told her. This made Sakura even angrier. She ran up to him and grabbed his collar. She picked him up and slammed him against the wall. He winced in pain, but didn't do anything else. He just stared at her.

"Are you fucking stupid? The rest of them died after you left. My clan was the only one qualified for a mission. A mission to take out the Akatsuki! After you left, and everyone else was off fighting the war between Sand and Grass, my clan was the only available one. Tsunade sent out my entire clan... including me. My mom or dad were off fighting the war, too, so I was the only one that came back. Your fucking _Brother _and his parterner killed them all. But for some fucking reason Itachi left me alive. I was almost dead, but he took me to the nearest village and left me to be cared for. I was the only one to come back to Konoha. I watched all of them die, they were all tortured right in front of ME! Stabbed by Kisame, and tortured by Itachi. Itachi never really killed any of them, he just tortured them and then left them for Kisame to kill. I was useless! I was WEAK! I couldn't stop him! From then on it was just me and my parents. I was dead inside, but it got better over time. It was a lot better when I found out about my second family. Then, they were taken from me, too! I don't think you know what you are talking about! I went through the same thing you did!" Sakura breathed heavily, she was even starting to cry. Then, she took Sasuke off the wall and set him on his feet. Sasuke watched her with eyes which were, for once, surprised. Sakura looked at him with tears falling down her face, then, she dropped her gaze.

"Next time, know what you are talking about before you go around declaring that you know everything, _Uchiha_," Sakura said his name hard but still with sobs covering her voice. There was a long silence. Sasuke couldn't believe that her entire clan was murdered. He had known nothing about it. He felt bad for her. She had been through a lot more than he thought. Sakura's tears fell freely from her cheeks. Her eyes were still open and wide, looking off behind the Uchiha, out to the single candle, burning on top of the table. It was hard to see through her tears but she could still see.

Sakura was so mad. After all this time, she was still crying. She wiped her tears angrily. She wiped them so hard that she was almost punching herself. Sakura was mad at Kisame, Kabuto, at Sasuke, but she was mostly mad at herself. She was still so weak. She couldn't even save the family she had left.

"Damn!" Sakura cursed at herself. Sasuke was still quiet looking at her. She wouldn't meet his gaze. She wiped at her tears. "I'm still so fucking weak! I couldn't save who was important to me, again! How could I be so weak? So weak that I let the same thing happen twice? Shit!" Sakura got so mad that she punched the nearest wall. She was careful not to infuse her fists with chakra so the wall wouldn't come tumbling down, with the ceiling, on top of them, but it still had a dent in it. Sakura wiped at her tears and then stomped out of the tiny room into the one with the table. She stopped at the doorway that led out to the hall. Then, she turned around to look at Sasuke who was standing in the door way to the food room.

"Hey, Uchiha! Show me how to fucking get out of here! I need to go back to my room..." she ordered the Uchiha. Sasuke looked at her and then he walked to her. He leaned in close to her, as if to kiss her, but Sakura leaned back.

"Do not order me what to do..." he whispered to her. His breath blew in her face and she had a strong urge to lean in and kiss him, but stopped herself. He was still a traitor, and she was to mad right now. Then, when she was about to give into her urge, he pulled away, and stocked off down the hall. Sakura looked at him with her heart beating rapidly. She hated how he still had that effect on her. She put her hand on her chest as if to calm it down, then he stopped and looked over his shoulder at her.

"Are you going to follow me to the room or just stand there all day?" He asked her. Then, he watched as she leaned away from the wall and started walking towards him. "Hn... that's what I thought.." he said and then when he turned around to start walking again, she was there. His expression didn't change but he was surprised. She was so close to him that he felt her breath on his face. He then, got the need to lean down and kiss her.

"If I can't order you about, don't you even think about ordering me around..." she told him and then back away from him, and stepping to the side so he could lead the way. he gave her a stern look and then looked ahead of them.

"Hn..." then with that, he stated to walk. Leading the way to the room. He smirked at his thought. _I wonder how she will take it... _Sakura saw the smirk.

"What the hell are you smirking about?" she asked him. He looked back at her with his smirk.

"Hn..." then he turned back around and kept walking. _Don't you have a shock coming to you... Sakura..._

Sakura looked at him with an eyebrow raised, and then sighed. _Who has ever known what goes on inside this icebox's head...? _Sakura smiled at her thought. _Looks like you haven't changed that much... Sasuke..._

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**Hey guys... sorry it took so long. How do you like it? Thanks for all the reviews. You all are awesome. Now, do you all think that I am doing okay with the Characters? Do they all act like they are suppose to? **

**Feel free to give me suggestions! Is there anything you all want to see? Do you all think I should put more couples in, like Naruto and Hinata, or any of the others, or just keep it Sasuke and Sakura?**

**Do you all think I should put team Hawk in here? I was thinking about it, so what do you all think? I luv you guys! **

**Please R & R... **

**I am always open to suggestions so, if you have any, tell me! Thanks! **


	7. Broken Promises

**Hey guys... sorry it has taken me so long to upload. Lots of drama going on in my life. Like my best friend dating my ex-boyfriend. That's a big part of it but you guys aren't here to read about my stupid, dull, drama filled life. You're here to read my fanfic!!! YAY!!!! I am so glad people like it... so here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy!!!!**

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Chapter 7: Broken Promises

Sakura walked behind Sasuke, watching his back, and took in her surroundings. The walls were lightly tinted by the light coming from the wall candles. She made a map in her head of the halls they turned down, just in case she needed more rotten food. They had been walking for almost five minutes. Sakura wondered how big this place really was. Sasuke hadn't said another thing to her sense they had started walking, and Sakura wasn't going to be the one to break the silence. She was going to wait for words to come out of his mouth, and not just that 'hn' word either. Sakura had even decided that 'hn' was not, in fact, a word and that it didn't count as one, so she would wait until actual words came out of his mouth, until she spoke a word to him.

They turned down another hall, Sakura adding it to the map in her head, and then watching Sasuke's feet move sluggishly. Sakura started to think about home, the real world fading from her mind, and then pictures played in front of her eyes. She saw E's soft, sweet face, and then tried to picture it when she would return. She saw him older, his hair longer, framing his face. His eyes had less light and excitement in them, they were duller. His face lost all of its baby fat and now was very mannish and handsome. His skin was flawless, clear, creamy... perfect. He would be quite a catch with the ladies. Sakura smiled to herself, her little brother a ladies man.

Then, she saw Naruto. His teenage features turned into that of a man. His clear, ocean eyes became softer, but were still strong. His face had become more sharp, and he now had laugh lines. He was still strong and handsome as ever, though.

Then, she saw Tsunade. Tsunade had turned to look older, a lot older. Her eyes looking more fragile. She looked more fragile. She was skinnier, and her hair was turning gray. She had laugh lines, frown lines, age spots, and wrinkles. She finally looked her age.

Then, Sakura saw the rest of them. they all were older. Then, she pictured all of them with kids. She saw Ino holding a little black haired boy; Sai's kid. She saw Temari holding a sleeping bow with brown hair; Shika Jr. She saw Tenten standing there with a little boy between her legs, he had white eyes and long brown hair. She also held a little baby girl with a little patch of lighter brown hair; defiantly Neji's children. She saw Hinata holding the wrist of a very hyper mini Naruto, only with white eyes. Sakura laughed inwardly at her vision.

Everyone was happy. They all had family. They would be fine without her. Sakura frowned at this. Would they even miss her? Did they ever need her? Should she even go back? Or would she just be like a third wheel?

Would she ever be happy like that? Would she ever have a family to take care of? Would she ever let go of the man she was following? Would she ever be happy with a man that loved her? Sakura sighed when she realized that she would never have a chance. She didn't even know if she would make it out of the snakes clutches alive. She would probably die.

Sakura mentally slapped herself. She couldn't just give up. E still needed her, and she made a promise to him. Yes! Yes, she would get out of here. She would kill Kabuto and Kisame. She would get home. She would return knowing that there was no need to worry about her family being in danger. It would take time, but it would happen. She had to... for Ehuro. For her late clan, for her family. For herself..... for--

She ran into a block of stone. Sasuke had stopped right in front of Sakura and, being as Sakura was lost in deep thought, she had ran into him. Sakura looked up into his coal, black eyes with a glare. He glared back down at her. Sakura wanted to say something to him along the lines of 'asshole', but she had a promise to keep to herself.

He would be the one to speak first.

"Hn..." he said. Sakura narrowed her eyes. That was not a word! It doesn't count.

Sasuke then turned back to the door he had stopped at. He reached up with long, white fingers and turned the door knob, and pushed it open. The room was dark. Sakura searched around her and found Orochimaru and Kabuto two doors down from them (the were finished and laying next to each other). It was the same one that she woke up in.

Sasuke stepped back enough for Sakura to slip into the dark room. Sakura stood in it until Sasuke came in and lit a wall candle with a flick of his chakra on his finger and then did the same to another on the other wall.

As the room came into view, by the light, Sakura noticed something. There were two beds in this room. Sakura had promised to keep quiet though so she went to the one on the left side of the room. It was against the wall that when you laid down in it you would be facing the door. The other bed was at the right of the door, but when you laid in it, you'd face the other bed. The bed's out line was like a 'L'.

Sakura sat on it and then looked down, and waited for Sasuke to leave. He stood there for a minute, just watching her. Then, slowly he started to walk to the other bed. Sakura looked up, stunned by his movement. She was putting pieces together in her head. She watched him as he neared the bed, and then he sat down, the bed crunching under his weight.

As soon as he sat down on the bed, Sakura broke her promise. "What are you doing?" Her voice was sure and steady, but inside she was freaking out. She felt like hitting down another wall when his answer came.

"Going to sleep," he said shortly and then he laid back on the bed. Sakura exploded.

"What!?! What do you mean?! You don't mean that we are going to be sharing this room, do you?!?" She asked him frantically. She realised that she had stood up and was walking towards him, so, she stopped herself about five feet from him.

His back was toward her, and Sakura had a need to turn him around to look at her. To see his face, to touch his skin, to kiss his li-- _No.... Sakura you can't think like that... he is the enemy! _Sakura just stood there.

"Hn..." She heard him say. Sakura narrowed her eyes.

"That is not a word, Uchiha..." she told him and put her hands on her hips. She heard Sasuke sigh and then he turned around to face her. He held his head up with his hand, it was almost as if he was posing for a picture.

He looked at her sternly, and then he grinned at her. "You either share a room with me... or with Karin...." he said. Sakura was confused. Karin was a girl, right? She was sure that she would want to sleep in that room.

"I want to share a room with this Karin person..." she told him. Sasuke starred at her for a minute and then he sighed and got up from his bed. He opened the bedroom door and then stalked down the hall.

"Hn..." he murdered as he walked down the hall. Sakura followed him. They past Orochimaru's room and then kept going.

The further they walked, the more Sakura wondered... who was this Karin person. Then, Sakura felt a strong chakra enter the hideout, or more so her chakra-sensing range. Sakura still wondered how big this place really was. It was bigger than her chakra-sensing range, which was a little more than five miles at the moment. They kept walking.

Sakura was surprised that they didn't make many turns and stuff. Maybe one of two, but it was pretty much one hall they used. Sakura added it all to the map in her head, and then continued to follow the Uchiha.

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Sasuke lead the way to Karin's room. It was a mile ahead. His thoughts were focused on the soft, stepping of the kunochi behind him. Sasuke inwardly grinned to himself. He knew that this would happen, but he, also, knew that Sakura would be back in his room before this night turned to morning. He knew that Sakura would have hell with Karin. Karin would give her hell, just because she was Karin and didn't want any woman, besides her, in this hideout. It even made it worse, that Sakura would create a threat, when it came to Sasuke.

Sasuke kept walking focusing on Sakura's foot fall. He then, turned down another hall and then stopped at a room at the end of the hall. Before he could even reach up to knock on the door, the door flew open. Showing a red-headed woman, with red eyes.

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"Sasuke-kun!!!!" The red-headed screeched. Then she started to lightly jump on her feet and stare at Sasuke. Then, he eyes slid to meet Sakura's accusing ones. At that moment the jumping stopped and she held out a finger to point at the pink-headed medic. "Who is she!?!" She asked with childish anger in her eyes. Sakura looked over at Sasuke and then back at Karin.

"Sakura Haruno... she'll be sharing a room with you..." Sasuke told her. Karin's eyes grew wide and then she looked at him. She looked confused and angry at the same time.

"W-what???" The red headed one asked. Sasuke sighed. All he had to say was one sentence and then Karin would accept. So he waited and then he looked at Karin sternly.

"Or she can sleep in my room..." Karin's eyes widened, and then she looked back at Sakura. She gave a sigh and then a huff, and then walked back into her bedroom, leaving the door open for Sakura to follow.

Sakura starred after her and then looked over to meet Sasuke's gaze. He eyes were confused and surprised. Sakura thought about just going back with Sasuke but then she made a promise to herself that she wouldn't go back, it would be like crawling back to him. She wouldn't do that, she wouldn't crawl back to him, so she made that promise to herself.

Sakura looked at the Uchiha and then back at the empty doorway. Sakura wiped the confused and surprised expression from her face and then walked in the room. She turned around to close the door, looking at the Uchiha once more and then closing the door.

She turned around to look at Karin, who was staring at her with her hands on her hips. She had a angry and accusing expression on her face. Sakura raised an eyebrow at her.

"What?" Sakura asked her. Karin's eyes narrowed at her words. Then, Karin turned and sat on her bed. Sakura looked around and saw a bed on the right side of the room. Right next to the door. Sakura sat down on it and starred down at her feet. She could feel Karin starring at her, but Sakura ignored it.

After a few minutes of Karin's non-stop starring, Sakura finally looked up at her.

"What?" Sakura repeated. Karin's eyes narrowed more.

"Let's lay down some ground rules, okay?" Karin starred at her and Sakura raised an eyebrow at her. Karin sighed and then said, "First off... no talking. Next, don't touch anything. Next, don't ask me to do anything for you. You want something go find it yourself. Next, listen to me and do everything I say. Next, respect me. And lastly, don't go near Sasuke-kun... he is mine. It's not like you'd have a chance anyway, but he doesn't need you getting in his way, he doesn't even like you. So stay away from him, okay. If I'm letting you share my room with me, then you must follow these rules. That's how it goes, pinkie, got it?" Karin finished and gave Sakura a stern and expecting look.

Sakura lowered her eyebrows and smiled at her. She laughed and then looked down.

"What the fuck you laughing at?!" Karin asked her. Sakura looked up with the smile still on her face.

"I don't see how you can order around someone who is stronger than you. That's like a mouse telling a panther what to do... it doesn't work unless the panther is brain washed, and I am, most certainly, not brain washed," Sakura said to the red head. Sakura watched as Karin's eyes grew angrier and then watched as they narrowed. Sakura smiled again.

"Do you want to go? And stop fucking smiling!!!" Karin ordered. Sakura laughed at her and her smile grew bigger.

"I would kill you to quickly, it wouldn't be any fun..." Sakura smiled again. Karin's eyes narrowed further. Sakura smiled wider. Then she looked down. "And as far as Sasuke goes... you can have him. Trust me, I'm no threat to you... when it comes to Sasuke," Sakura's smile was now gone.

Sakura hated to admit it but it was true. Sasuke would never love her the way she loves him. Sakura sighed and smiled up at Karin. Karin's eyes were narrowed at her. Sakura laughed at her again, making her eyes narrow further.

Karin laid down on her bed, still staring at Sakura. Sakura looked down again and then laid down on her bed, with her back towards Karin. Sakura could still feel holes being burned in the back of her head, but she tried to ignore it. She had to keep a promise to herself. She would lay here and take this. Sakura never liked being stared at, but she would take this.

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Sakura had been laying down for three hours, she should have already been asleep. She should be dreaming, but the holes being burned into her head hadn't stopped yet. Sakura was getting angry.

_How long can somebody stare at someone? This is getting ridiculous... does she even sleep? _

Sakura had tried to ignore it but it was hard to ignore. For _three _hours, Karin had not stopped staring at her. Sakura didn't know how much more of this she could take. Sakura was about to turn around to tell her to shove it all, when she heard snoring. She thought for a moment that Karin had finally gone to sleep, but then she realized that the starring had not stopped yet. Sakura was confused. _How can she be sleeping and starring...? _Sakura turned around to look at Karin. This is when she realized that Karin was sleeping with her eyes open.

Okay, this was freaky. It was creeping Sakura out. Sakura turned and tried to ignore it but she couldn't. The starring was still there and the snoring was getting louder. Sakrua laid there for ten more minutes, battling over herself.

Sakura then sighed and then she flipped the covers off of her. She grabbed her boots quietly and slipped out of the door.

The hall candles were still burning and Sakura opened the map in her head. She couldn't believe she was doing this, but she couldn't stand another minute of Karin's staring and snoring. Sakura slipped on her boots and then buckled them up, then she started to walk down the hallway that she came from, making it back to her former room mate.

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Sasuke woke to his door closing behind someone. He opened his eyes and starred into the silent, and dark room. Somewhere in it he heard shuffeling. He activated his sharingan and saw Sakura. He deactivated it and then smirked as he heard Sakura stump her toe on the foot of her bed. He heard a string of curses and then he heard her bed sink down below her weight. Sasuke closed his eyes as silence filled the room, after she took off her boots and then laid in her bed.

Sasuke's prediction came true. He knew that Karin would have gave her hell. He knew Sakura would come back. He grinned inwardly at himself. He loved it when he was right.

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Sakura laid in her bed on the left side of the room, facing the wall. She wanted to punch herself for doing this. She had just went crawling back to him, the traitor, the Uchiha bastered. She had just broken another promise.

_That's two today... I'm not going to break another one. _Sakura thought to herself. She defiantly wouldn't break the promise she made to E. She would keep that one.

No matter what it took, she would make it back to Konoha... to E... to everyone. She would make it back, it would take some time, but she would see them all, and their families, one day again.

Sakura let that thought slip from her mind as sleep took over her. Her mind filled with memories and people from her home village. She saw them all, she heard all their voices.

She wanted to be there with them, she wanted to hold her E, to hug Naruto, Ino, Sai, Hinata, and all of the others. She wanted to go home, to see them all again. To be with them and apart of their lives once again. She missed them, she missed her home. She missed her old life, she wanted things to return to normal. She wanted her old life.

A tear slipped from behind her closed eyes. She never wanted to admit it but she was home sick. She wanted more than what she could have. She wanted her family back, she wanted them all. Kahiro, Manhino, Sahuna, mother, father, Ehuro. She wanted them all back. She even wanted her clan back.

Sakura thought back to when Sasuke left. After he left, she didn't think that it could get worse. Then he clan died. She was wrong. Then, she got a new family, she was happy. Then it was ripped away. It was just her and E then. She told herself it couldn't get any worse and then she was ripped away from him and taken to this place. Sakura thought that this couldn't get any worse. Then, she told her self that it could.

_E could have died... That would have been worse than this. _Sakura said to herself. Sakura felt another tear slip from behind her closed eyes.

She would see them all again... she would keep her promise. She would be happy again. She would do it, she could do it. Maybe she would even bring back Sasuke.

Sakura then started to dream of the perfect life. She would come home to see all of them. Her clan, her family, her friends, and then she would kill Kisame and Kabuto, and then bring back Sasuke. They would all be happy, even Sasuke. Sakura then, thought about the happy ending that could possibly come true.

She would come home, Kisame and Kabuto dead. Sasuke would have killed Itachi and Orochimaru, and then come home with her. They would come home to their friends and their friends family. Then, Sakura would be reunited with E and they would all be happy. Sasuke didn't even have to be with Sakura, they didn't have to be together. All he had to be was in the same village. That would make her happy. Although, being with Sasuke would be like a bonus. Then, if that happened, he life would be complete. He life would be as perfect as it could possibly get.

Sakura feel asleep dreaming about this life. Dreaming about everybody and everything that she would have.

She had to make it home, she had to keep this promise. This promise couldn't afford to be broken. She would do anything to keep it, and to make a possible life like the one she was dreaming of. The perfect one.

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**Hi, everyone!!! I love you guys. Someone said I should put Karin in the story so I did. If I need to change her personality please let me know. **

**How is it? I hope you all like it... I 'm sorry, again, that it took so long to update. But review because it reminds me to update. I love you guys. **

**Please, again, if you have any suggestions for the story, let me know. **

**Thanks guys!!! Love ya. I will update soon. **


	8. That One Promise

**Hey, sorry for the long wait. Busy with finals and all, but now it's summer and expect updates to come sooner. **

**Thank-you to all that are still with me, reading my story. Now remember, I am here to make this story for you all, so any suggestions will be taken in and considered. Please. **

**Now, lets get to chapter 8.... ;-)**

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Chapter 8: That One Promise

_Run, run, run, run...._

_Breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe...._

_Run, run, run, run...._

_Pant, pant, pant, pant...._

_"Ehuro!!!!" The scream echoed off the closed in walls and bounced back. _

_Tears fell from her face. They fell to the floor, and then a pool began to form. She started to sink down into it. It all pulled her down. _

_Deeper, deeper, deeper, deeper...._

_"Ehuro!!!" The scream echoed again, and then it started to get muffled by the pool of tears she was drowning in. She lifter her hand to try and get out. _

_Searching, searching, searching, searching.... _

_She was searching for the edge of the pool, but nothing was found in arms length. More tears added to the deep pool, that was starting to swallow her whole. _

_Her head slipped below the surface, and the air in her lungs started to slip out of her nose. She needed to breathe. She needed to find Ehuro. She needed help. _

_Reaching, reaching, reaching, reaching.... _

_She still couldn't find the edge. She was starting to fade from the world. Her vision started to blur. Then she saw something in the pool of tears. Just out of arms reach. _

_It was a body, just floating. She couldn't tell who it was, she forced death away from her eyes to get a better view. The arms and legs were still, floating freely. _

_This guy was definitely dead... his body was floating along the surface. She strained her eyes more. _

_No, no, no, no..... _

_"NO!!!!" The scream was muffled by the water, and it released the rest of her air out of her lungs. _

_Sakura tried to swim over to Ehuro, but something was still pulling her down further into the pool. _

_Sakura looked down to try and get free from what it was. It was Kabuto, he had a evil smile on his face. _

_"AHH!!!" Sakura screamed again. Her hand started to slip beneath the surface. _

_"NO!!!!" Sakura looked over at Ehuro again. More tears added to the pool. Sakura closed her eyes, ready for death. There was no air in her lungs, they started to fill with water. _

_Something, suddenly, grabbed her hand, and started to lift her out of the pool. Sakura's head started to slip from the clutches of the tears. She coughed out water and cried more tears. _

_She looked down at Kabuto, but he was gone. _

_"AHH!!!" She remembered Ehuro. She looked back to where he was a moment ago, but he wasn't there either. She couldn't find him. _

_"Ehuro!!!" Warm arms pulled her close and Sakura cried into their chest. The chest was strong, and warm. Sakura closed her eyes and cried. _

_"No!!!! Ehuro!!!" She screamed and cried. _

_"Sakura!!!" Sakura closed her eyes tighter...._

_"Sakura..." Sakura started to open her eyes... it was E. _

_"Sakura." No....it was Sasuke. _

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Sakura looked into his eyes. Sasuke's dark, onyx ones. Sakura felt tears still streaming down her face. She looked around, she was in her bed. She was breathing heavy. Sakura was clutching her neck. She looked back at Sasuke. He looked at her blankly.

"W-what happened?" Sakura looked around again, making sure no one else was there. Kabuto, really. One wall candle was lit, and Sakura couldn't see anyone in the room besides her and Sasuke. Sakura looked back at Sasuke who was watching her carefully. Sakura gave him a questioning look when it took him a second to answer. The silence didn't last long after that.

"You were screaming..." Sakura noticed that Sasuke had his hands on her wrist, pinning it to the bed. That must have been why she felt someone grab her out of the water. Sasuke followed her gaze and then released her wrist.

"What time is it?" Sakura asked, rubbing her throat. Then, she wipped off her tears. It was just a dream. A nightmare. A horrible nightmare that will never happen... not if she could help it.

"It's 30 minutes before sunrise.... 6:30," he said walking over to his bed and then he started to clean his weapons. Sakura looked at him and then looked down. She wiped off the rest of the tears that stained her face. She stopped to hold her face in her hands, trying to calm herself down. She focused on breathing evenly and thought about the nightmare that had just played itself in Sakura's unwanted mind.

The nightmare had felt so real... it felt as if she really couldn't breathe and that Kabuto was pulling her down. It felt so real, it scared Sakura. But it was still just a dream... something her mind had made up.

Sakura sat there blankly for a minute, with her face in her hands, and then she remembered something. A jutsu that she gained from that day. A jutsu that would put a worry at rest for the time being.

Sakura pulled her face out of her hands and then threw the covers off of her, she got up out of bed. She felt Sasuke look up at her with confusion, and then look back down, going back to cleaning one of his many kunais.

Sakura went to the foot of her bed, and sat down on the dirt floor, cross legged. Sakura closed her eyes and then did a series of hand signs, then she slammed her hand on the ground. For a second it would look as if nothing happened, but then water started to pool underneath in hand. It spread out around her hand and then Sakura lifted her hand. She looked in front of her, there was a perfectly round puddle.

The water was crystal clear, drawn from the deepest part of the earth's crust. Sakura smiled at it and then closed her eyes once more. She did another series of hand signs and then held her hand above the water.

"Show me E...." Sakura whispered to herself. Sakura opened her eyes and saw a picture in the water. It was E. He was sleeping in a bed, Sakura could see him breathing easily, his chest moving in and out in a rhythm. Sakura smiled at him, he had already changed. She had only been gone two days, and he had changed already. In only two days he had grown.

His face seemed sharper, losing some of his baby fat. His gray hair was cut short now. Sakura could tell that he had been training a lot. It explained why his hair was cut and his fat seemed to disappear. A tear slipped down Sakura's creamy cheek.

Sakura watched him sleep, tears streaming down her face. She wanted to be there for his training, to help him. She just wanted to be there with him, to see him grow up. He was only five, and had no family.

It made Sakura wonder how old Sasuke was when he lost his family. Sakura's throat was clasped tight and she could hardly breath, let alone speak. She cleared it, she had been fully aware of Sasuke's gaze the whole time this Sight-Seeing Jutsu had been going on. Sakura cleared her throat again, before speaking her mind's question to Sasuke.

"Sasuke...." She could feel his questioning stare. She continued on without looking up at him. "How old were you that night...?" She knew he would know what night she was talking about. She felt his gaze lift off of her and look down at the ground. It took a minute for him to answer.

"I was six..." He still looked down, and Sakura still watched the sleeping E. Sakura nodded and then cleared her throat again, another tear slipping down her face. She closed her eyes tightly and then opened them again to watch E again.

"Would it have made it worse if you were younger? Say you were 5 years old and it happened... would it have made it worse to deal with?" Sakura looked down at E, and smiled when he flinched from his dream. She felt Sasuke stiffen, and, as usual, it took him a minute to answer.

"Yes, it would have been worse. I would have had to live another year without them. It's hard to think that it could have gotten much worse..." Sakura wasn't surprised that he said that much... Sasuke always had a lot to say on this subject, he could go on and on for hour... days... he would never stop if his ego didn't get in the way and he had someone who would listen.

Sakura looked down at E, feeling so bad for not protecting him from this all. A tear slipped from her cheek and to the pool, making the image dissapear. Sakura just looked at the pool of water, and then slowly the water sunk back down into the earth.

Sakura just sat there, staring in to space, thinking about how she could have stopped E all this pain. She could have shielded him from all of this awful pain, that now both of them had to feel.

He was too young to have to feel like this... too young to not have any one there to protect him or no family to call his own. He was too young to bare this horrible pain.

"How old is your little brother?" Sasuke's question caught her off gaurd and she flinched a little at the noise, but didn't turn to look at him, but she could feel him looking at her.

"He just turned 5 not too long ago. I can't imagine how hard this is for him. He probably blames it all on me, because I could have stopped Kabuto. If I wouldn't have gotten caught in the middle of that stupid lightning, I would have been home earlier. I could have been there to stop Kabuto. To save them all. This is all my fault. I'm still not strong enough!!!" Sakura was balling. She couldn't stop the tears.

Sakura sat on the floor, and wrapped her arms around her legs, and let her head rest on her knees. Broken sobs escaped her lips, as another little piece of her heart broke off.

Sasuke just watched Sakura tear herself up, blaming it on herself. He watched her cry and thought of how he thought that he wasn't strong enough to save his family, either. He thought about how hard it must be for Sakura to watch her little brother go through this at such a young age.

Then Sasuke thought about how it must be really hard for the both of them. All they have is each other and they can't even be with each other. Sasuke sighed silently, and closed his eyes.

"You were on a mission... it is not your fault. You couldn't help that you were not in the village," Sakura looked up at him with blood red eyes and tears making them have a glassy effect. She looked surprised at first and then she looked at the wall in front of her. Silent tears fell from her cheeks and onto her skin.

"I still wasn't strong enough... both times. All I do is keep trying to get stronger and stronger so that it doesn't happen again, and it did. It made me feel like I was useless. Like if I left, would any one even notice? Would they all be okay? Will I just get in the way and put them in danger? Should I just leave?" Sakura stared blankly at the wall, her mind had drifted to memories and what the future could be like if she wasn't there to get into every body's way.

"You know that if you left, it would make it even harder on your brother.... then he would have no one. You can't do that to him..." Sasuke said coldly. Sakura didn't turn to look at him, but kept thinking about what he was saying. He was right...

_Damnit... I hate it when he's right...._

Sakura kept staring at the wall.

"I'm not even with him right now... and he seems fine without me..."

"He was sleeping... you can't tell how a person feels when they are sleeping..." Sasuke told her bluntly.

"Well, it would be just like this for him... no family. I want to go back to him, but I doubt I will make it out of here...." Sakura said.

"You will.... you can't break that promise that you made him.... he is counting on you.... don't let him down." Sasuke told her.

"Like you let me down, when I was counting on you?" Sakura whispered just loud enough to where Sasuke could hear it. It made him flinch. He sighed, and then closed his eyes.

"Yeah... don't do that to him. Keep your promise." Sakura nodded. She would, no matter if she had to kill every one in this hideout, she would make it back to Ehuro, Naruto, Ino, Hinata, Kakashi, Sai... she would make it back to all of them. Even if she had to kill Sasuke to do it, she would. It would be hard, but she would do it, just to see them all again.

Sakura thought about it... would she actually kill Sasuke just to see them? Sakura mentally shook her head.

_No, I'll just knock him out and bring him with me. _

Sakura smiled sadly. How long would she have to wait before she saw them? She had to get stronger... just to make it past Orochimaru and Kabuto.

_Kabuto... I'll keep my promise to you, too. I'll kill you Kabuto, no matter what, I will. _

Sakura got up, and then sat on her bed to put on her boots. After that, Sakura strapped on her ninja tools. Sakura looked at her forehead protector, the fire country symbol staring her in the face. Her face reflecting back at her. She looked awful, Sakura could see the tear stains along her cheeks. Her eyes were puffy and red, and she was starting to look thinner.

_Lack of food.... good food. _

Sakura sighed and then decided not to put the plate on... she wasn't worthy enough to put it on... not until she got stronger and was back at home. Sakura tucked the plate underneath her pillow, and then ran her fingers though her soft pink hair, trying to untangle it as much as she could. She could feel Sasuke look up at her with questions in his eyes.

Sakura made sure that all her ninja tools were with her, and then she started to walk out the door.

"Don't destroy the training area... that's my job. Try not to mess it all up," Sasuke said to her, and then Sakura looked back at him with a smile.

"I won't mess it up too bad... don't worry. I'll leave you half of the room to destroy," she said to him.

"Hn..." Sakura closed the door behind her. Sakura looked down the hall, and then unfolded the map in her head. Then, she started to walk towards the training room..... she would get stronger, she had to.

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Sakura was breathing hard, her fist were hurting from hitting so many rocks and dirt walls. The callouses on her hands were tingling and had grown in the amount and size from throwing so many kunais and senbon at imaginary targets on the dirt wall. Sweat beaded her forehead, and she could feel a cold sweat on the back of her neck. Sakura was tired and hungry. She had been here for almost four hours, without a food break or a single rest.

Sakura stood from her crouched position and then look around. The training area was a wreck. She had told Sasuke that she would leave him half the training area, she left him a little under a half. He would get over it.

The dirt walls were mangled and the dirt covered the torn floor. The rock floor was cracked and split apart. There were mangled rocks and debris everywhere.

Sakura looked at her half and then at the other, untouched half. There was a huge difference, she had done a lot of damage. It still wasn't enough, though. Sakura felt like she hadn't gotten any stronger. Of course, she had only done taijustu, he own style, and not the other stolen ones, but she still wasn't strong enough. It hadn't done anything to help her.

Sakura sighed as the anger began to build up in her again. Sakura was frustrated. Sakura walked to a wall and used her chakra fist, packed with as much chakra as she could put into it, and punch the unfortunate wall.

The wall moaned with the force of the punch and then started to tumble down around Sakura. Dirt and rocks feel on and around Sakura. When a boulder fell, coming towards Sakura, she would hit it too, splitting it into harmless pebbles. When it all had settled down and the wall stopped moaning and dropping debris, Sakura looked at it.

A huge crater had made its way into the wall, it was about thirty to forty feet in diameter, and then about fifty feet reached into the wall. Sakura frowned, the wholes were not any bigger than when she started this morning. Sakura growled at herself, and then she leaned against the wall, next to the crater, and slid down the wall to sit against it.

Sakura folded up her knees and rested her arms and hands in her lap, and then she leaned her head back against the wall. Sakura closed her eyes and concentrated on breathing evenly.

_Damn... this isn't working. Is it even possible to not be able to get stronger? Is there a limit to the srength you can have? Can I not get any stronger than I already am... Is it possible? _

Sakura battled over herself. Could she even get stronger? Sakura sighed again.

_I can get stronger... it will just take some time. Time that I clearly have... I'm not going anywhere for a while. _

Sakura, then, sensed a chakra headed towards the training grounds. Sakura sighed when they tried to smother it.

_Doesn't he know that he can't hide from me..._

It took a minute until he got there, still trying to smother his chakra. Sakura sighed, her eyes still closed.

"What do you want, Sasuke?" She asked him. Her head was still leaned back, with her eyes closed, but she could tell that he was smirking.

"You are good at chakra sensing, aren't you..." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Sakura smirked.

"Hn..." Sakura threw at him.

_Take that... how's it feel, Sasuke?_

Sakura opened one eye, when she felt him move closer to her. She looked at him and he was looking around the training area. Sakura closed her eye and then smirked again.

"I left you a little space..." she told him.

"Hn.... not very much," he stated.

"I did just say 'a little space'..." Sakura sighed again, and shrugged. Sasuke looked down at her and then sat down beside her. Sakura opened one eye to watch him, with a questioning look. Sasuke ignored the look, and Sakura closed her eyes again.

Sasuke had one knee up, and then the other one was laying, folded on the ground. One arm was slung around the up knee and the other was holding the hilt of his katana. His head was down and his eyes were closed. They sat there in silence for a minute. Sakura had detected another chakra coming towards the training area, but it would be about 10 minutes before he got to where they were. Sakura knew who it was, of course.

"Kabuto will be here in about 10 minutes..." Sakura told Sasuke. She felt him look up at her and then look back down with a nod. There was another long silence, but this time Sasuke broke it.

"How is the Dobe?" Sakura opened her eyes and rolled her head to face Sasuke. His eyes were still down and closed, his eye lashes brushing against his cheek bones. He was an angel... a demon angel.

"Um..." Sakura had to look away so that she could think about what to say. "He is good, I guess. He has gotten a lot stronger, and he changed while he was away... a lot," Sakura told him.

"Where did he go?" The cold and emotionless question came from between his perfect lips.

"He went away for two and a half years, to train with Jiraya. He has changed into a second Jiraya, he is even a pervert like him..." Sakura told him.

"Is he more mature, now? More calmer, I mean..." Sasuke asked.

Sakura starred into a memory of Naruto, and smiled.

"No, that part hasn't changed. He is still loud and stubborn. But, when everyone says that he can't do something... he will find a way to do it. He will find a way to prove them wrong. He has proved me wrong so many times, that I have learn to never doubt him, and to trust him. To have faith in him. He is someone I trust my life with. He always keeps his promises...." Sakura frowned. She stopped talking, when she remembered that one promise. "Except one..." she whispered more to herself than to Sasuke, but he still heard it.

"What promise was that?" Sasuke opened his eyes to look at Sakura. She was staring off at a far of memory.

_"I promise I'll bring him back, Sakura. And that's a promise of a life time..." He said with a smirk and a thumbs up._

Sakura shook her head and look over at Sasuke, their eyes meeting for a second before Sakura moved her eyes to the ground in front of Sasuke. Staring at Naruto's smile. Sakura smiled at it and then looked back at Sasuke with a sadder smile.

"One that really wasn't possible... One that no one could do. I should have never asked him to do something that deep down I know he never be able to do. Only one person could have ever done it... and he didn't want to. It isn't Naruto's fault that he couldn't keep a promise... it is mine. I asked him to keep it, when I knew that he couldn't. It was my fault... but it doesn't matter, now. Everyone knows that it isn't possible, so no one even bothers trying... except Naruto... he still tries. And I won't let him do it alone, so I try to help him, even though I always got in the way," Sakura said.

"What promise was it?" Sasuke asked, wanting to know. He looked at Sakura, who was looking at the ground in front of him. He almost stopped breathing when she look up at him with a sad smile.

"To bring you back to me... but you are the only one who can do that, and you don't want to...." Sakura looked back down at the ground, a tear forming in her eye, but she pushed it back before it could spill out. She will not cry over him anymore.

_Crying won't help it... I can't control how it is... so why cry over it. _

But Sakura knew that she wasn't crying over him... but more because she couldn't control how it is... how it happened. She couldn't control any of it, and she wish she could. It was still a stupid reason to cry. It wouldn't change any thing, if she did cry over it... so why cry.

Sasuke looked at Sakura and then looked at the ground in front of him, too. His memory jumped back to the night he had left her on that stone bench, the words she said playing in his head.

_"I love you more than anything... so please... stay... with... me... and if you can't do that... then.... then take me with you, Sasuke. Please!"_

The words echoed in his head. He was lost in thought, for a long time, when Sakura voice cut the air.

"Kabuto is around the corner," Sakura said to him. He looked at her when she started to stand up. He then stood up too. They both started walking toward the door, ready to meet Kabuto. Then, Kabuto appeared around the corner with a smile. He smiled even bigger and nastier when he saw Sakura stare at him.

"You better make that smile disappear, before I make you disappear, Kabuto," Sakura told him with a blank look. Kabuto smiled even bigger and Sakura moved to punch him, but was stopped by Sasuke's arm in front of her.

"Calm down, Sakura... What do you want, Kabuto?'' Sasuke glanced behind him at an angry Sakura, who had her beautiful emerald eyes narrowed at him, and then in front of him at a smiling Kabuto.

"Lord Orochimaru wants to see you..." he looked at Sasuke, and then behind him at Sakura with a smile that made Sakura's blood boil and her teeth clench. "Both of you... you all have a mission..." he said.

Sasuke nodded at him and then looked back at Sakura. She had a confused expression, the question clear in her dull, emerald eyes.

_What kind of mission?_

The question ran through both of their minds. Sakura look up at Sasuke with that question in her eyes. Sasuke looked back into her eyes and then shurgged. He looked at Kabuto who was turned and walking away, and then he cut his onyx eyes back to Sakura and nodded for her to follow him. Then, they both started to walk down the hall after Kabuto.

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**Hey guys!!! This chapter doesn't have a lot of action, and it's pretty boring, but it shows that Sasuke and Sakura are getting closer. I really don't know what the mission is yet... I am kind of making this up as I go... so bare with me. **

**Thank you to all the people who have reviewed and gave me suggestions. I would like more to help me keep the story interesting to you all. So give me suggestions... please. **

**So, I will update soon. Thanks to all of you who have read my fanfic and double thanks to all of you that review. See you next time... :)**


	9. The Snake's Mission

**Ok, so I'm back... sorry it has taken me so long to update... again. I am going through writers block... and plus i forgot about what i wanted the mission to be. But hopefully you'll forgive me and not be too critical on this chapter. Thanks for reading... ENJOY!!!**

**.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................**

_**Last time:**_

_"What promise was it?" Sasuke asked, wanting to know. He looked at Sakura, who was looking at the ground in front of him. He almost stopped breathing when she look up at him with a sad smile. _

_"To bring you back to me... but you are the only one who can do that, and you don't want to...." Sakura looked back down at the ground, a tear forming in her eye, but she pushed it back before it could spill out. She will not cry over him anymore. _

_**Crying won't help it... I can't control how it is... so why cry over it.**_

_But Sakura knew that she wasn't crying over him... but more because she couldn't control how it is... how it happened. She couldn't control any of it, and she wish she could. It was still a stupid reason to cry. It wouldn't change any thing, if she did cry over it... so why cry. _

_Sasuke looked at Sakura and then looked at the ground in front of him, too. His memory jumped back to the night he had left her on that stone bench, the words she said playing in his head. _

_**"I love you more than anything... so please... stay... with... me... and if you can't do that... then.... then take me with you, Sasuke."**_

_The words echoed in his head. He was lost in thought, for a long time, when Sakura voice cut the air._

_"Kabuto is around the corner," Sakura said to him. He looked at her when she started to stand up. He then stood up too. They both started walking toward the door, ready to meet Kabuto. Then, Kabuto appeared around the corner with a smile. He smiled even bigger and nastier when he saw Sakura stare at him. _

_"You better make that smile disappear, before I make you disappear, Kabuto," Sakura told him with a blank look. Kabuto smiled even bigger and Sakura moved to punch him, but was stopped by Sasuke's arm in front of her. _

_"Calm down, Sakura... What do you want, Kabuto?'' Sasuke glanced behind him at an angry Sakura and then in front of him at a smiling Kabuto. _

_"Lord Orochimaru wants to see you..." he looked at Sasuke, and then behind him at Sakura with a smile that made Sakura's blood boil and her teeth clench. "Both of you... you all have a mission..." he said. Sasuke nodded at him and then looked back at Sakura. She had a confused expression, the question clear in her dull, emerald eyes. _

_**What kind of mission?**_

_The question ran through both of their minds. Sakura look up at Sasuke with that question in her eyes. Sasuke looked back into her eyes and then shrugged. He looked at Kabuto who was turned and walking away, and then he cut his onyx eyes back to Sakura and nodded for her to follow him. Then, they both started to walk down the hall after Kabuto. _

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Chapter 9: The Mission

"Ahh... Sakura, my flower, how is life? Do you like your new home?" Orochimaru laughed his evil one. Sakura glared at him, locking her jaw from throwing out any sarcastic remarks. She stood behind Sasuke who was standing as still as stone in front of her.

Kabuto walked over in front of Orochimaru and bowed his head. Orochimaru sat in his thrown, candles on both sides of it. Kabuto then stood and walked to stand next to the thrown. Orochimaru laughed again, his gaze flicking from Kabuto, to Sasuke, and then from Sasuke, to Sakura. His gaze lingered on Sakura waiting for a reply that Sakura wouldn't give. Orochimaru then chuckled again and then looking on to Sasuke.

"So, Sasuke, have you been treating her well? I know I would be, if I were yo--"

"What's the mission?" Sasuke cut off the snake. Sakura look at him, and she swore she saw something flicker in his eyes. Probably her imagination again, because it was gone in a flash again. Sakura looked back at the snake, a stronger glare on her features. She didn't like being talked about like that, and she was glad that Sasuke stopped him before Sakura did something about it.

Orochimaru laughed again, and held up his hands in defense. "Ok, ok, no need to get snappy.... Ok, I want you, Sasuke, to go to the land of Lightning and find the boy who was working for Kenyu. His name is Senu Kiyoto. Sakura, my dear, you may have seen him helping Kenyu out when you went there." Sakura nodded she had remembered a boy by that name, lining up the ninja for Kenyu's jutsu. Sakura then remembered that she didn't hear of him dying then. He must have gotten away.

Orochimaru nodded, "So you will go and find him... that is why Sakura is going, because she has seen him and has been to the cave. You will probably find him there. My flower can help you find him. All I want you to do is find him, get documents of the people that the jutsu were used on... so we can know what powers our flower has. After you get the documents, kill the boy, and then return." Sakura clenched her fist at her sides... she hated being used like this, and she really didn't want them to know what powers she has. Orochimaru smiled when he saw her fist clench.

"Now, now, my flower... no need to get upset," he laughed. "I know, Sasuke, that she may be some sort of trouble to you, you know, like try to run away. I know you don't want to deal with that, so I am also sending Karin along with you two. She can sense chakra, so she may be some help in finding Senu and finding Sakura if she ends up slipping away. I do expect her to come back with you, Sasuke. I don't care if you hurt her to get her to come back, but she must come back. I have a feeling, my flower will be of some use to me coming these next few months...." Orochimaru laughed, while Sakura cringed at the thought of Karin coming along with them, and at the thought of what Orochimaru could mean by needing her for these next few months. Sakura shuttered, inwardly, at the thought of what he could do with her.

"I want you three to leave now... and I want you back, all three of you, in 10 days.... no more. Karin is informed and will meet you two at the entrance of the hideout," Orochimaru stated. Sakura almost smiled at the thought of getting to see where the entrance to the hideout was... maybe when they got back, she could use it, and go home. "And then when you three children get back, we are moving to a new location..."

_Shit.... there goes that idea. _

Sakura glared daggers at Orochimaru... he laughed at it, making Sakura shiver slightly. "Leave, now... and Sasuke.... be good to our flower. Keep a close eye on her, I have a feeling Karin doesn't like her so much," Orochimaru added. Then, Sasuke turned on his heel and walked out of the dirt door way, Sakura following him.

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"Orochimaru is a fucking creep.... he's so.. ugh!" Sakura said as she pack her ninja pack.

"Hn..." Sakura heard behind her. Sasuke was also packing his ninja tools. Sakura dismissed that he only used her favorite word, and continued ranting on.

"I don't know how you stand him.... and what's up with the '_my flower_' shit? It's plain disturbing... and then Karin has to come, too. I swear she will eat me, Sasuke. She stares at me like a raging wolf... she almost as bad as Orochimaru. I think they both want me for dinner.... Ugh!" Sakura shuttered.

"Hn.."

"Well at least I will be able to get some real food, for once. I am dying for some Ramen... Oh god... I'm starting to sound like Naruto. Look what you guys have turned me into..."

"Hn..."

Sakura sighed as she hooked the pack on her side, and then reached under her pillow to grab out her forehead protector. She battled over herself on taking it or not. Sakura sighed again as she put the plate into the pack and then re-clipping it back shut. Sakura was confident that she had all of her ninja tools with her, now. She turned around to see if the stone carving was ready.

Sasuke picked up his Katana, and slid it into place on his belt. Sakura watched him place it on his person and then watch him turn towards her.

"Ready?" She asked him. He nodded.

"Let's go..." he said and then walked out their bedroom door. Sakura followed him. They walked for about ten minutes before Sakura couldn't take the silence anymore. She thought of something to say to the ice cube. After a moment of thinking, Sakura thought of a question.

"Do you go on a lot of missions for the Candy Man?" Sakura watched the broad shoulders of the Uchiha.

"...Hn..." Sakura sighed. There was no hope for him speaking like a normal person. Sakura gave up trying to start a conversation with Sasuke, and bowed her head down and watched her feet.

Sakura noticed all the chakra signatures around her. There were more in the hideout sense yesterday. There were some on the other side of the wall, and some in the very same hall she was walking in with Sasuke. She counted all the new signatures. There were... 12 more signatures. One of them walking towards Sasuke and Sakura. Sakura looked up to see who it was, looking over Sasuke's shoulder.

There was a big brawny man, holding something on his back. The man had brown hair and sparkling white eyes with a dark green pupil in the center. As the man past, Sakura noticed what he was carrying. It was a dead man with a slender body and long red hair. Blood was all over his form, one eyes slightly open, and his jaw slack. Sakura looked away, when the man with white eyes and green pupils slid his gaze to Sakura. Sakura had her head bowed, looking at her feet once again. She felt the signature stop and then she felt a grip on her forearm. Sakura stopped and turned her angered gaze to the man.

"Hello, honey. Would you like to come back to my ro--" A hand came down on top of the man's wrist, the one that was gripping Sakura's forearm. Sakura looked up to see Sasuke glaring strongly at the man.

"Raiden... let go of her..." Sasuke's eyes glared into the others white and green ones. He stared back. After a minute of keeping his firm grip on Sakura's forearm, the man slid his gaze to look at Sakura. He smiled sickly at her and then slowly let go of Sakura, Sasuke's grip on his wrist let go, too.

"I'll be seeing you around, honey. You can count on that, sweetheart," he looked into Sakura's eyes and then winked before looking back at Sasuke and then turning again, and walking away with his prized body.

Sasuke and Sakura watched the man walk away for a minute before Sasuke slid his gaze on Sakura. Sakura, feeling his gaze, looked back at him, emerald and onyx clashing.

"Thanks, Sasuke," Sakura told him, he nodded. Then, took his place in front of Sakura again, and then, continued walking. "I could of handled that myself, though. You saved that guy a lot of pain... he should be thankful," Sakura said looking behind her, making sure that the man with white eyes and a green pupil was out of sight. Sasuke grin a little, even though Sakura couldn't see it.

There was silence for a minute as the two walked towards the entrance of the hideout.

"It seems like the Candy Man isn't the only creepy one around here, huh?" Sakura said. Sasuke had his head down and his eyes closed but he grined a little at this.

"Hn..."

Sasuke heard low mumbling behind him.

"That fucking word is getting on my fucking nerves.... hn this; hn that; hn, hn, hn, hn, hn," low whispers reached the Uchiha's ears, making him smirk a little more. It then, was silent except for their footsteps.

.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

"Ah.... fresh air..." Sakura took in a deep breath of the outside air. Smells of pine trees and lovely flowers filled her lungs, making Sakura smile. She opened her eyes to see Karin staring at her with piercing eyes. Sakura smiled at her, "Hello, Karin. beautiful day isn't it?" Sakura asked her and then walked after Sasuke towards the Lightning land. Sakura could feel the staring at her back, and smiled. She might actually enjoy making Karin angry.

Sakura knew she didn't use to be like this. She use to be kind to all people, besides Ino. She never was mean to people or tried to make them mad or uncomfortable. She didn't know what was happening to her. She use to be so kind.

_What are they turning me into?_

She shook those thoughts from her head... or course everything has changed her... who wouldn't be changed after all that has happened to her. He family dying and then taken away from her home and every one she has left... Of course it's made her sharper and bitchier, meaner. It wasn't a good change but Sakura couldn't change it, not until she was back at home and with people she actually liked. She hated everyone here. Everyone, except Sasuke, and she wasn't even too fond of him right now. It was natural she was this way, in this situation.

Sakura, moving on to think about the mission and what was to come, started to think about real food. Ramen, meat, tomatoes, rice, oh her favorite Chicken. Oh it sounded so good.

"Sasuke? When do we get to eat? I need real food." Sakura stated. Sasuke turned to look over his shoulder, and then turned back around, still walking.

"Later...." Sakura sighed as her most dreaded answer came to her. Sakura then started to look around her surroundings, determined to get food out of her head. She noticed that they were in a forest, trees all around.

Sakura looked up, the sun was starting to lower, giving the sky a mixture of pretty colors. Hot pink, Orange, and yellow clashed together. Sakura filled her lungs again with air, letting her eyes close for a short time. She opened them again, looking up at the green leaves and the beautiful colored sky. It was so beautiful, Sakura felt so free. Well, as free as she could get a this point.

Sakura looked over the Uchiha's shoulder and saw the beautiful yellow color of the sun. Light and transparent clouds were here and there, but not one big one covering a large area of space; just a few little ones. The horizon had turned it's background into a mixture of reds, yellows, purples, and blues. Yellow colors were dancing with red ones, and purples were dancing with the blues. It was a beautiful sunset, even prettier than it was in Konoha. The sun rays shed onto Sakura, making her skin glow and her eyes sparkle. It was so nice to Sakura, and the green of the forest gave it all a gentle feeling. For a minute, it was just Sakura. No one else existed, not Sasuke or Karin. It was just her. But reality soon cut through her fascinations, as Karin's voice cut the air.

"Sasuke-kun? Why is pinky coming again? I would rather we leave her here and we can come back and get her," Karin's whiny voice almost made Sakura cover her ears. Sakura ignored the insalts being thrown at her, trying to be as civil as possible. She knew that what Karin wanted was to make her mad and upset, and if Sakura showed that she wasn't, it would make Karin mad.

"Orochimaru's orders," Sasuke said blutly. Sakura rolled her eyes....

_Do these people do everything that bastard says? It's ridiculous..._

"But he doesn't have to know... I won't tell him if you won't," Karin said with a smile in her voice. Sasuke turned to look at Karin and then at Sakura, never stopping his walking.

"No..." Sasuke turned back around and continued to watch the ground beneath his feet. Sakura look over her shoulder at Karin and smiled at her, a kind looking smile, knowing it would make her mad. Karin growled at Sakura and turned her head away in defeat. Sakura smiled bigger and turned bad around, trying to hold in her giggle. She looked up ahead of her and met Sasuke's eyes. She smirked at him and she could see a twitch of his lips as he turned back around. Sakura looked back up at the sunset and sighed.

The blues were turning into violets, and the purples had turned into a dark navy blue, the color of the night sky. Yellows had long turned into reds and reds had turned into purples. The sun had sunk another inch, and with every inch the colors were turning the day into the night. The clouds were becoming invisible against the darkening sky, and the sun was turning into an orangeish/redish color, signaling its departure. The trees and the greens of the forest started to take a dark color, and Sakura started to hear the creatures of the forest make there noise. She could hear the russeling and chirping of the crickets and the footsteps of the bigger animals that were going back to there home to sleep, and the hooting of an owl and rustling of animals coming out to hunt.

Sakura knew that they would have to stop soon, it never was a good idea not to have a fire at night in a forest to keep away the animals. Sakura kept walking watching as the sun sunk behind the lands and the colors turned into a dark night sky. The stars came out and sparkeled brightly and the moon was making it's way known. It was full and was a bright glowing color, giving the greens of the forest a neon look. It was a beautiful night.

"_Hoot, hoot"_an owl screech, making Karin jump, making Sakura giggle under her breath.

"S-sasuke- kun? I-I think we should s-stop for the night... I can't see where I'm going," Sakura rolled her eyes and sighed... the moon was plenty bright enough to see where you are going. Karin was scared. Sakura looked ahead at Sasuke, who had stopped and looked back at the females.

Sasuke's gaze shifted from Sakura to Karin, and then back to Sakura. He stood there for a minute, deciding if they should stop.

"Sasuke, I agree. We should stop, I'm starving. Who's got the food?" Sakura asked looking to Sasuke and then back at Karin and then back at Sasuke. Sasuke sighed and then looked around. They were in a little clearing, where it looked like a good spot to stay.

"Alright... Sakura find some sticks and Karin roll out the sleeping bags," Sasuke said in a emotionless tone. Sakura nodded and Karin started to remove the sleeping bags from her backpack. Sakura went through the trees and started to gather stick that weren't too small or too big, and they were dry.

Sakura brought back a arm full of sticks and laid them inside a rock circle that Sasuke had made. Karin had three bed rolls rolled out around the place and was sitting on the bed roll on the far left. Sakura laid all the sticks down and stepped back as Sasuke used his flame jutsu to light it on fire. Sasuke, then, sat down on the middle bed roll and watched it crackle. Sakura sighed and went to sit on the far right bed roll.

When Sakura got seated she took a look at the fire. The wood was turning a bright red color as orange and yellow flames surrounded it. The flames flickered and danced across the wood. Sakura felt the heart of the fire touch her skin and warming it. It felt so good, now all she need was food.

She looked over at Karin who was taking out some rice rolls. Karin handed two to Sasuke and Sasuke held out his hand to Sakura, with a rice roll in it. Sakura took it happily and started to eat it. It wasn't Ramen or meat but it was good. It still came from the hideout so it was still nasty tasting but it was good to the hungry Sakura. Anything would have been good to her.

Sakura looked up at the full moon above, she could make out the shape of the man in the moon. It was big tonight and the stars around it complimented it. Sakura finished off her rice roll, not filled up but not in the mood to ask for more. She kept staring up at the big moon and watched as a shooting star raced across the sky, and then burned out of existence.

Sakura looked back down at the dancing flames and then down at her feet. She saw images of her home, or her family and of her memories with the ones she loved. She remembered team 7 missions like this, they were great and this was so different, so wrong. No one here wanted to be here with the others, they wanted to be somewhere else, doing better things. Sakura wanted to be home with her family; Sasuke probably wanted to be training; and Karin she probably doesn't mind this mission just because of Sasuke, but she doesn't want to be here with Sakura.

Sakura's mind danced with images of Ehuro, Naruto, Kakashi, Tsunade, Ino, and so many more. She rememebered all the memories of them all so happy together, all of the memories where they all were smiling and laughing. Sakura put her hands on her head trying to push all the memories out, she knew that it would be a long time before she saw them all happy again... maybe never. Sakura squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again.

They were all laughing and smiling and then they were all sad and drowning in darkness... the last time she saw all of them, they were sad and now she couldn't help but feel that she left them like that, she left things wrong, and she couldn't fix it. She might not ever have the chance to fix it either. Sakura felt tears prick her eyes and she closed her eyes tightly to make them go away. It didn' t work and a tear slipped from underneath her lids. Sakura growled at her tear and weakness, and stood and began to walk into the dark woods.

"Pinky, where do you think you are going?" Karin's voice reached her ears, but she ignored it and kept walking. "Oi, pinky, get back here! Hey!"

"Let her go, Karin..." Sakura heard Sasuke say and with that Sakura disappeared into the forest, tears starting to leave her eyes and fall onto her cheeks.

Sakura walked for a while, but not far enough to were she couldn't feel the chakra signatures that tell her where the camp is. She only stopped walking when she walked into a clearing that was wide and the moon was shining over the peak of the cliff straight in front of her. She walked to the cliff and took a seat on the edge, letting her legs hang loosely down over the side. Sakura looked at the big full moon that was right in front of her, as big as she had ever seen it. Like almost if she reached out she could catch it in her hand.

Sakura sighed as she looked at the moon and stared at the man in the moon. She wondered if anyone she knew was watching at the same moon. She imagined Ehuro looking at the moon from his bedroom window and thinking of her. Sakura closed her eyes, and for the first time in what seemed like forever she was home again.

_She was walking in the streets of Konoha and with Ehuro by her side. He was laughing and skipping next to Sakura. Sakura looked down at him and smiled and then look back up at the people in the streets. She smiled at the ones who smiled at her. She said good morning to the ones that said it to her. Today was a very peaceful day. Sakura looked over and saw her friends. _

_"Ino, Hinata, Tenten!" She called them. They all turned and looked at her and smiled. Sakura walked over to them with Ehuro in tow. She hugged Ino as Ehuro was picked up by Tenten. Hinata stood there watching the scene play out infront of her. She smiled and hugged Sakura when Ino finally let go of her. _

_"Oh, E you are getting so heavy! Have you gained weight sense yesterday, little man?" Tenten asked Ehuro. E opened his mouth in shock and crossed his arms across his chest. _

_"No! I'm on a diet!" E said in a girlie voice and then looked over at Ino with a evil grin on his face. Tenten and E had long sense found it fun to pick on Ino, and every time they are all together, that is what they do. Ino stuck out her tongue at E and then flipped Tenten the bird when E looked away. She smiled as Tenten flipped her the bird in return. _

_Sakura and Hinata were talking about a new mission that was coming up for Hinata's team. Sakura was making sure that all the details were right that Hinata had received sense it was Naruto who talk Hinata about the mission. When Sakura was sure that she had all the right information about the mission she looked back over at E, Tenten, and Ino. They were all smiling and picking on each other, and it made Sakura smile. Sakura was happy, the happiest she had been sense the death of her family. It wasn't that long ago but it seemed like almost everything was back to normal. _

The next day Sakura was ripped away from her happy days and now she was here with a stone carving, that was the closest thing she had to feel comfortable around, and a red hair gorilla that is scared of bugs and can't back up her threats. Sakura had officially went from heaven to the deepest part of hell in the matter of a few days, and she didn't know how to get back to her heaven, either.

Sakura sighed as she felt Sasuke's presents near the end of the clearing. She must have been to deep in the day dream to have felt him move from the camp. She felt him now though, but she just opened her eyes and stared at the moon again, waiting for him to come up to her. Sakura took out a kunai and started to twirl it around her finger to keep herself busy until he came up to her. She was bored now.

It took about three minutes until Sasuke got to the cliff Sakura was sitting on. He walked up next to her and then sat down beside her, with his fee hanging over the edge also. They both watched the moon for a while, neither one speaking, Sakura still twirling the kunai around her finger.

"Where were you at?" Sasuke asked her after a few minutes of silence. Sakura looked over at him and then back at the moon.

"Right here," she told him in a matter-of-fact tone. Sasuke shook his head slightly and then looked over at her.

"No, where were you at?" He asked again. At first Sakura didn't understand and looked at him with a confused look. Then as she caught his concept she looked back at the moon and sky, and sighed.

"Back in Konoha. Ehuro and I were walking down the street and we met up with my friends, Tenten, Hinata, and Ino. Ehuro and Tenten were making fun of Ino and me and Hinata watched them. Ehuro was so happy, even though it hadn't been even a week sense the murder of our family. I was happy just watching him be happy. It was the day before you guys came and took me away from him," Sakura told him. Sasuke looked on at the moon just listening. He knew that leaving him was hard for her and he wanted to say something but he didn't know what to say. They sat in silence again until Sakura broke it.

"So how you going to kill Orochimaru?" She asked him, still looking at the big, bright, moon. Sasuke looked over at her in question.

"What?" he raised an eyebrow. Sakura looked over at him with a smirk on her face. She stopped spinning the kunai and put it back in her pouch. She laughed a small laugh and then raised her own eyebrows at him.

"You don't expect me to believe that you would let Orochimaru do you revenge do you? You are an avenger and avenger don't let someone else do their avenging. It just doesn't work. He just won't let you go, he needs your body. So, the only way for you to get the chance to kill your brother is to kill Orochimaru. I'm not stupid, Sasuke. You should know that," Sakura told him. Sasuke closed his eyes and smirked. Sakura looked back at the moon.

"I guess your not," Sasuke said, his eyes still closed and his head bowed.

"So you going to answer my question?" Her voice reached Sasuke's ears as she whispered. Sasuke opened his eyes and looked back up at the moon. It took him a minute to answer but he did.

"I going to take over his body and soul," short and simple. Just like Sasuke.

"And after you kill him what are you going to do?" Sakura asked him.

"I am going to form a little team of my own with some skilled ninja and go hunt my brother down," Sasuke told her. He cut his gaze over to her and she was looking at the canyon below them. Sasuke looked back up at the moon.

"Who is in your team?" Sakura asked.

"Karin, a man named Suiegutsu, and a man named Juugo," he told her. Sakura brought her gaze up to look at his pale face.

"Karin?" she asked him with a confused face. He looked down at her moonlight features and thought that she looked like an angel. He shook that thought from his mind and looked back up at the moon.

"Yes Karin," he said with a low husky voice. Sakura looked at him shocked.

"What can she do that is so special?" Sakura asked. Sasuke looked at her and then down into the canyon.

"She can sense chakra and heal you if you bite her. She can give you chakra, too," Sasuke told her. Sakura looked at him with her eyebrows raised.

"And I can't?" She pointed out. Sasuke looked at her with blankness.

"I figured you would want to get back to Konoha as soon as you can. You wouldn't want to travel with me, you would want to be with E and your friends back in Konoha. Am I wrong?" Sasuke told her. Sakura looked back up at the moon.

"Sasuke do you hate me?" Sakura asked him. Sasuke raised one eyebrow and looked at her.

"You never did anything that would make me hate you," Sasuke said. Sakura looked at him and their eyes met.

"Then why wouldn't you ask me to come with you? You know that I would help you get to your brother," Sasuke looked at Sakura with a confused expression.

"I thought you wouldn't want to," Sasuke told her.

Sakura shook her head. "I would if you asked. After Orochimaru dies I'm free. I can wait a few more weeks to help you. Konoha's not going anywhere. It's not like it won't be there after I help you," Sakura looked up at the moon. Sasuke watched her for a few minutes.

"It will be dangerous," He told her. Sakura shrugged.

"I need to kill Kisame anyway. So, I could help you and then kill Kisame. It helps us both out. And I going to kill Kisame anyway and he's Itachi's patner so if I find Itachi, I find Kisame. It just makes sense that I would travel with you, because your going to where Itachi is. So?" Sakura looked over at him. Sasuke raised his eyebrow.

"So?" He repeated.

"Are you going to ask me to come with you?" Sasuke smirked and closed his eyes and bowed his head.

"No," he said.

"No?! Why not?" Sakura asked him. Sasuke opened his eyes and cut his gaze to her.

"Because you'll come no matter if I ask you or not," Sasuke told her. Sakura narrowed her eyes at him. Sasuke smirked and closed his eyes.

"Fine," Sakura pouted and crossed her arms across her cheast and looked down into the canyon. It was silent for a while.

"Do we still have to bring Karin?" Sakura asked Sasuke.

"Hn," _Yes..._

"Why?!" Sakura asked him. She had finally gotten to a point where she remembered how he sounded with that one worded answer. She knew it long ago and now it was coming back to her.

"Because she will keep you busy and if you get hurt or something, she can lead us to where Itachi is," Sasuke told her.

"What makes you think I will get hurt?" Sakura asked him.

"I don't think you will, but you can't be to sure with you," he told her.

"And what is that suppose to mean? I'm reckless?"

"More or less," Sasuke answered her question. He had his eyes closed but he knew she flipped him the finger, and he smirked.

It was silent and Sakura was staring at the stars. Sasuke opened his eyes as a breeze blew by and saw Sakura staring into the sky. Sasuke knew that she was beautiful, more so in the moonlight. Sasuke looked up to the sky, so he wouldn't be caught staring. After a few minutes, a shooting star flashed across the sky.

"Shooting star," Sakura told him.

"Hn," _I saw it..._

"You are suppose to wish when you see them,"

"Hn,"_ I know..._

"Didn't you make one?"

"No,"

"Oh," Sakura said. She didn't mean to make her voice sound sad but it did. Sasuke looked at her.

"Did you?" Sakura looked at him and then back up at the sky.

"Yes, I did," she told him. It was silent for a second.

"What did you wish?" Sasuke asked Sakura. Sakura looked at him and then started to get up from her spot.

"I can't tell you that. It would break the rules and then it wouldn't come true. It would be a wasted wish. Don't you know the rules, Sasuke?" Sakura stood looking down on Sasuke. Sasuke looked down and then also got up. They stood facing each other, Sakura looking up at him and he looking down at her. Both of their eyes lost in the deepness of the others.

"No," Sasuke told her. Sakura looked at him for a minute and then smirked.

"Ha, you never were good at following rules anyway, Mr. Runaway," Sakura smiled at him. Sasuke looked at her. Sakura giggled at his expression and then turned to head back to camp. Sasuke watched as she began to walk away and then followed her.

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**Ok... here is the next one. Hope you all enjoyed it. Thank-you for reading and please review. I'm dying to know what people think of this story and to hear any suggestions you all have. I will even except flames. **

**Thank you for reading and please review. See you soon. Promise to update sooner than this one. I feel like I am slacking. Sorry about the wait. Thank you. See you next time. **

**Oh, and there is a new poll on my page concerning the sequel to this awesome story. Please take a look and vote to tell me what to do. I need help with it. **

**Broken-heart-crossing out!**


	10. Konoha Moves Out

**Hey guys... sorry for the wait. Had writers block. But hope you enjoy this! :)**

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_Last time:_

_It was silent and Sakura was staring at the stars. Sasuke opened his eyes as a breeze blew by and saw Sakura staring into the sky. Sasuke knew that she was beautiful, more so in the moonlight. Sasuke looked up to the sky, so he wouldn't be caught staring. After a few minutes, a shooting star flashed across the sky. _

_"Shooting star," Sakura told him. _

_"Hn," __**I saw it...**_

_"You are suppose to wish when you see them," _

_"Hn," __**I know...**_

_"Didn't you make one?" _

_"No," _

_"Oh," Sakura said. She didn't mean to make her voice sound sad but it did. Sasuke looked at her. _

_"Did you?" Sakura looked at him and then back up at the sky. _

_"Yes, I did," she told him. It was silent for a second._

_"What did you wish?" Sasuke asked Sakura. Sakura looked at him and then started to get up from her spot. _

_"I can't tell you that. It would break the rules and then it wouldn't come true. It would be a wasted wish. Don't you know the rules, Sasuke?" Sakura stood looking down on Sasuke. Sasuke looked down and then also got up. They stood facing each other, Sakura looking up at him and he looking down at her. Both of their eyes lost in the deepness of the others. _

_"No," Sasuke told her. Sakura looked at him for a minute and then smirked. _

_"Ha, you never were good at following rules anyway, Mr. Runaway," Sakura smiled at him. Sasuke looked at her. Sakura giggled at his expression and then turn to head back to camp. Sasuke watched as she began to walk away and then followed her. _

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Chapter 10: Konoha Moves Out

Sakura woke up as the light around her started to turn a lighter blue, signaling that the sun was coming from its resting place. She rolled over to face the fire, that had burned the wood to ash and deceased, in the dead of the night. A small smoke stream coming from the ashes was the only movement.

She looked up so she could see who else was awake. Sasuke wasn't in his roll and Karin was snoring, again with her eyes open. Sakura shuddered at seeing bright red orbs staring blankly at nothing. Sakura looked around as she yawned, searching for the Uchiha. All she saw were trees and grass and Karin. No Uchiha. Sakura opened her senses and searched around her for the disturbingly familiar chakra, she felt him about quarter of a mile east.

Sakura got up and stretched her body to its length. She heard some bones pop from the pressure of being on the hard forest floor all night. Sakura then, started to walk towards the east. She smothered her chakra so he couldn't detect her, and started to walk his way.

She could hear water rushing and felt the coldness in the air start to nip her skin. She could smell and feel the moisture in the air almost like a mist dancing its way across her skin. It made her shiver. She could hear the chirping or birds and the light splashing. She could feel the sunlight on her skin and the mist thickening around her. She looked from behind a tree at the river in front of her and the Uchiha boy that was freshening up in it. No he wasn't naked but he reached his hands in the water, cupping them around it. He lifter the water to his face and splashed it all over his angelic features. He wiped his eyes and stood up, staring out over the rushing water. Sakura thought now would be a good time to make herself known.

Sakura tip-toed until she was about a foot away. She stood there for a minute waiting to see if he would notice her. Then, she almost felt like he was too still and he probably wasn't in this world anymore, that he was lost in his memories. Sakura walked closer and stepped to the side so that if she walked forward she would be right beside him. Sasuke was a statue, he didn't even look like he was breathing. Sakura looked around and then back at Sasuke. It was extremely quiet except for the beautiful sounds of nature.

"Are you okay?" Sakura's voice cut through the thick fog. Sasuke turned slowly and looked at her and then looked back at the raging waters.

"Aa," Sakura walked forward and stood next to him. She folded her arms across her chest and looked over the river water same as Sasuke.

"What were you thinking about?" She asked him, she cut her gaze to him and then back at the waters. Sasuke stayed still and stared ahead.

"The future," his blunt reply came. Something about the way he said it made Sakura shudder. He almost sounded... sad? Sakura looked at him for a minute but his eyes never left the waters.

"You want to tell me about it?" She asked. Sasuke looked at her and then quickly looked back at the waters. He thought about telling her, but then he decided against it. It was stupid anyways.

"No," Sakura looked down into the waters at her reflection. She thought she looked old. Her features held a tired presents and her eyes had no spark. She looked too serious to be herself, but it was her. The pink hair told her that. She hated it, she hated what she had become. She had become meaner, snappier, she became older. She hated what life had changed her into. Sakura sighed.

"You can tell me anything, you know that. I'm hear when you are ready to talk, ok?" Sakura told him without taking her eyes off of her reflection. She saw from the corner of her eyes that Sasuke looked her way for a minute and then he look back to the waters.

"Hn," _Ok..._

Sakura smiled and then bent her knees to get closer to the water. She looked at her reflection for a minute and then decided she hated it all. She began to skim her fingers over the surface of the water, making her reflection wavy and disoriented. Then she put both hands in and cupped water to bring to her face. She splashed it over her face, feeling eyes on her as she did, and then she wiped her eyes. She felt awake now. She stood back up and turned to Sasuke. Her eyes meeting his. Emerald against onyx.

"Well I guess we should probably pack up and head out, right?" Sakura asked Sasuke with a smirk on her features. Sasuke stared at her and then slowly nodded at her as his answer.

"Aa," he told her. Then they started to head through the woods toward the camp sight to pack up and head out.

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**Meanwhile: Back in Konoha. **

Naruto was walking to the Hokage tower. He had been sent for and asked to come and receive a mission. A retrieval mission, as he was told. He had wanted to go after Sakura the day after she left but the problem was that no one knew where they were or even which way they went. Yes he threw a fit when he couldn't go after her, but what could he do, abandon the village? No, he was worried about Sakura but Sasuke was with her right? He would protect her... right? That was what scared him the most, what if Sasuke didn't care weather she got hurt or kill or not. What if he was a completely new Sasuke and wouldn't even blink at the sight of her dying. That's what scared him. What if she wouldn't be taken care of? And would she change like Sasuke did?

Naruto shook his head as he walked through the Hokage tower's halls and up to the Hokage office door. He knocked and a smothered 'come in' was heard from the other side of the door. Naruto opened the door and stepped inside and closed it again. He looked at the ninja's in the room.

At her desk, sat the Lady Hokage, the famous sannin, and the 1st's granddaughter, Tsunade. She had her hands folder together as her elbows rested on the desk top. Her copper colored eyes looked him over and then nodded for him to come and stand next to the others. She had her hair in its usual manner, two low pig tails and her blond hair hanging down to her lower back. She also had her normal clothes on, he green top that made you look at only one thing that was very hard to miss, and her green carpi's. All accompanied by her black strap high heels and her red finger and toe nail polish.

Naruto went and stood next to Shikamaru, who look wide awake for once, but you could still see him trying to hold back a bored yawn. His hair was up in its usual high pony tail that his black hair was puffed up. His clothes were the same, all under that Jounin vest. He stood at attention facing the Hokage waiting for orders. Naruto looked on the other side of Shikamaru to see a shy, dark haired, girl.

Hinata was shorter than Naruto and Shikamaru, and she too was waiting for orders, standing at attention. Her long indigo hair ran down to her curvy hips and her white eyes were wide open. Her hands were in front of her holding on to each other. Her outfit was a jacket of purple and white that had a black netted top underneath and purple carpi's with back shoes. She had a color of red on her cheeks as she realised that Naruto was staring at her. She turned to him and smiled a beautiful smile at the blond haired ninja.

"G-good morning, N-naruto," She said in her sweet and high pitched voice. Naruto smiled at her and closed his eyes, putting his arms behind his head.

"Hey, Hinata!" Naruto spoke, a little too loud for Shikamaru's liking as he cringed away from the loud mouth.

"Naruto, do you have to be so loud?" Shikamaru mumbled. No one answered.

"Where is Tenten?" Tsunade asked Shikamaru, she sounded irritated. Shikamaru shrugged.

"She should be here soon, Lady Hokage," he told her. She nodded slowly. She always hated to wait on people. Today she thought that Naruto would have been the late one, but then again, it was his team 7 that they were talking about. Naruto stood still, looking off into the city from the window behind her chair. His eyes had a dazed look, as if he was lost in his memories.

Tsunade turned to the closed door as she heard a heavy knock on the other side. Tsunade sighed and then muttered, "Come in," and then she looked upon Tenten as she entered the small office.

Tenten wore her hair up in the two buns on top of her head as usual. Her chocolate brown eyes looked tired as if she had just woken up, which wouldn't be surprising; it was about two hours past sunrise. She had her scrolls on her back and her usual clothes on. She looked like the Tenten everyone knew, and always knew. Tenten turned to look at Tsunade.

"Sorry I'm late, Lady Hokage," Tenten said in her simi-high pitched voice. Tsunade was not in the mood to argue so she just nodded and motioned for Tenten to stand at attention.

Everyone was quiet as Tsunade looked apon the team. This is the team that Sakura went on her last mission with, so they knew of her power gain. Naruto was there to fill in Sakura's place. They would be sent on the mission to rescue Sakura and maybe, bring back Sasuke Uchiha. Only one person was missing from in front of her, but he would be waiting at the gates for the mission. Everyone was waiting on their mission but all was quiet. You can bet that things didn't stay that way long with someone like Naruto there.

"Grandma Tsunade," A vain in Tsunade's head stressed to the point of bursting and her eye twitched. Naruto stepped forward and continued, "What's the mission? Did you find out anything about Sakura-chan?" Tsunade looked at the blond. You could tell he was hurting inside, you could see it all in his eyes. He was alone and suffering, and it looked worse because it looked as if he hadn't slept well in days. It was all sad but understandable. Tsunade could imagine what he felt like and the urge to go after the family he has. It was heart-breaking.

Tsunade nodded, "Yes, there was a 'prision break'. One of Orochimaru's prisoners escaped and has brought us information on Orochimaru's wearabouts."

You could see the light in Naruto's eyes shin with hope again as he heard the news.

"The prisoner said that Orochimaru's layer was about a days walk west. Just inside the fire country border. I want you four to meet your team captin at the gate in two hours. I will give you a week to complete this mission, but if one of you get hurt or injured abort the mission," Tsunade told them .

"What?! Why?" Naruto asked. Why would they abort the mission.

"Because you all don't have a medical ninja traveling with you. Sakura is an important asset and needs to be here, but she is strong and she has promised that she will come back. I can't risk one of you getting killed, just so Sakura can have help coming home. No one can be killed, if someone is we will lose more than just Sakura, and I don't want that to happen. Got it? Naruto?"

"Hai," three said in unison. Naruto was almost glaring at the Hokage but he knew she was right. So he sighed and then after some glaring from the Hokage nodded is head in acceptation.

"Right," he said in a dead voice.

"Ok go get packed, all of the other details your team leader has. Meet him at the gate and you all be careful," Tsunade told them. They all nodded and waited for them to be dismissed to pack. Tsunade took on last look at the team and nodded and sighed, closing her eyes. Her eyes opened to look at the blond. She had heard that he hadn't gone to Ichiraku's Ramen Stand every sense Sakura's kidnapping. He looked skinny and his skin looked pale. What was that boy doing to himself? Tsunade lightly shook her head.

"Two hours meet at the gate. Get packed and then make sure you all have everything, that needs to be done, done. Naruto go get some Ramen for Kami's sake. Dismissed!" She told them. Shikamaru, Tenten, and Hinata nodded and walked out the door. Naruto looked at the Hokage and smiled his award winning smile and laughed his dorky laugh.

"Thanks, Grandma Tsunade! I'll make sure no one gets hurt and Sakura comes back! You can count on me!" he told her with a thumbs up. Tsunade smiled and nodded. Naruto turned and walked out the door to get ready.

Tsunade shook her head when the door closed behind him and she turned to look down at the paperwork on her desk. She saw a picture on her desk with her, Sakura, and Shizune holding Tonton in her arms. It was a happy day and she couldn't wait to get it back to those days which were now gone in Konoha. She never really knew what Sakura did to all of Konoha. With her here, everyone was happy. Now, with her gone, everyone seems so down and sad. Even the civilians. Tsunade noticed that Konoha had taken a toll over Sakura's kidnapping, and only Sakura can fix it. Everything was more dead and sad, were as it use to be alive and happy. Tsunade sighed and looked out the window in her office.

It was cloudy and a storm was moving in. No birds flew and not many people were walking in the streets of Konoha. Even this early there would be tons of people, even with it cloudy. Now there was about 10 people she saw walking in the streets to get errands done. It was sad. Sakura really was the person to bring happiness to people even in the darkest of times. Tsunade knew that and felt a tear slip down her cheek. She wiped at it and shook her head. She looked over the city and sighed.

"Sakura, please come back. Things aren't the same without you..." she whispered to herself. She sighed again and kept looking out the window at the dead village. What else could she do?

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Sasuke was running along the top of the trees, along with the other two kunoichi. He was running in front, Sakura was in between himself and Karin; only two jumps behind him, and Karin was at the back; about four jumps behind Sakura. They had been running for about four hours, non-stop. They were coming up on the lightning country, the sky was cloudy and it looked like a storm was coming in. Lightning was in the clouds and made a low rumbling every now and then, but the clouds weren't ready to let out their load of water, yet.

"Sasuke," Sakura's voice cut through the air. Sasuke looked back at her over his shoulder. Their eyes met.

"What?" Sasuke asked, his voice cold. Sakura looked pointedly behind her at Karin. Karin was tired, she was falling behind a lot. Sakura had ran a lot farther in her life and a lot longer without any breaks, but even she was a little tired, just not as bad as Karin.

Sasuke looked at Karin and then at Sakura. He got the message and sighed. He himself was a little tired. So he stopped on the next branch, Sakura landing next to him. Karin, however, was too focused on staying awake that she ran right on past. Sakura and Sakura looked after her alittle, until Karin finally noticed that they had stopped. Karin stopped and looked over at them, they were a little ways back. Karin started to run back to them.

When she got there Karin looked at them innocently. "I thought I saw someone, so I went to check it out," she told them. Sakura and Sasuke both knew it wasn't true, if someone was there she could have just picked up their chakra instead of going over there and checking it out herself, but they didn't say anything about it. Sasuke just looked away and Sakura jumped down off the branch, landing on the forest floor, shaking her head.

Sakura was soon joined on the forest floor by Sasuke and then a tired Karin. As soon as Karin's feet touched the ground she fainted. Sakura could have caught her but she didn't feel like moving, so Karin feel heavily to the floor because Sasuke didn't bother catching her either. Sasuke and Sakura looked down on the fallen kunoichi and then at each other. Sakura sighed and shrugged, and Sasuke just simply looked at her.

Sakura then broke eye contact after a few seconds and sat against a tree. Sasuke walked over Karin, and to the tree that Sakura was leaning against. He sat down next to Sakura and leaned against the tree also. He bowed his head and closed his eyes, resting one arm on his need and then other holding onto his katana. Sakura looked at him and then closed her eyes as she leaned her head against the tree bark. She breathed in the fresh air and focused on the warm sun rays shining through the protection of the leaves and clouds above. It was a nice day, and what made it nicer was the smell of rain floating through the air. The moisture around her and the low rumble of lightning.

"So what about Kakashi?" Sasuke asked Sakura out of the blue. Sakura looked over at him, he still had his eyes closed. She looked over at the top of the trees around them, looking back into her memories.

"I haven't seen him in awhile. He's been gone on a mission for quite some time, but last I heard he was doing good. Still reading his little porn books, sick pervert," Sakura laughed a sad laugh. Then she continued, "Do you remember Anko? The second proctor for the Chunnin exams?" Sakura looked over at Sasuke and caught his nod. Sakura smiled and said, "Yeah, her and Kakashi have been dating for a while. Actually, I've been hearing rumors that she's expecting. But she wouldn't tell anyone before she could tell Kakashi, and he's still on his mission. So he's doing pretty good."

Sakura looked over to Sasuke and caught his gaze. Sakura stared into his eyes for a little while and then shrugged and looked back up at the top of the trees, still feeling Sasuke's eyes on her.

"Hn," _good... _Sakura nodded her head.

"So, has Dobe finally figured out that the Hyuuga girl likes him?" Sasuke asked, turning his gaze to the grass beneath him. Sakura let out a small laugh, and nodded her head.

"Yeah, finally. They just got together," Sakura told him. Sasuke smirked.

"Hn," _Figures_... Sakura nodded him agreement.

"So what about you? How have you been?" Sakura asked Sasuke, looking over at him and he looked up at her and for a minute they stared into eachothers eyes. Sasuke smirked and looked down at the grass once more.

"Hn.." _Okay..._Sakura make a small smile and turned her head to the grass in front of her. Her smiled started to fade when she thought about her next question.

"Did you ever miss Konoha?" Sakura asked him without lifting her gaze. She felt his gaze on her for a second though. He looked back down after that second and it took him a minute to answer her.

"No, I didn't miss Konoha. After I left, it really didn't take an effect on me, but then I felt like I was missing something after a while. I realised that what I was missing was my team, you guys," Sakura looked up at him with surprise in her eyes. He continued without looking at her. "So I started to cut off my bonds with all of you. It got easier to train and focus on my goal then. So I guess, I never missed Konoha, but rather the people in Konoha. You guys," he finished. Sakura looked at him and then down at the grass again.

"So you cut off your bonds with us and stopped thinking about us. Did you forget about us?" Sakura asked him. They both had their eyes down and after a minute Sakura heard Sasuke whisper something, that she wouldn't have caught if she didn't have advanced hearing.

"I never said I succeeded...." he whispered. Sakura closed her eyes and then tried to think if she had really heard it or if it was just her imagination. They sat there for a minute and Sakura was about to say something to that, until the gorilla got up.

"Uhhh.... what happened?" Karin said getting up from her spot on the ground. She looked around and then spotted Sakura and Sasuke on the tree, next to each other, looking at her like she was weird. Karin looked at Sakura with a glare and then over to Sasuke with a blush on her cheeks and a smile.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun! I think that I was knocked out, there might be someone close by!" Sakura sighed and closed her eyes and Sasuke just looked down.

"Karin you fainted. No one is here," Sakura told the red head. Karin looked over at her with another glare. She put her hands on her hips and walked towards Sakura. She stopped when she was about three feet away from her.

"I did not faint! I was knocked out.... I do not faint, got it?" She yelled at Sakura. Sakura looked up at her with a smile. This made Karin really angry and Sasuke looked up at her to see why there was a killer aura coming from her. Her face was red and she was glaring at Sakura. Sasuke looked over at Sakura and saw the smile she held on her features. He smirked and bowed his head back down with his eyes closed.

"Stop fucking SMILING!!!! You fucking whore! I'll kick your ass!" Sasuke heard Karin say. Then he heard Sakura laugh and looked up at her to see her smile even bigger and she was looking at Karin.

"I thought that we already had that talk. I'd kill you too quickly, It wouldn't fun," Sakura told her. Karin huffed and then turned to look at Sasuke who was looking at Sakura. Sasuke turned his attention to the gaze on him. Karin looked at him and then at Sakura.

"Sasuke-kun wouldn't let you hurt me," Karin said with her snobby voice. Sasuke just looked down and closed his eyes again. Sakura rolled her eyes and stood up in front of Karin. She whispered, but everyone could still hear.

"Well then, I guess I'll just have to do it when he's not looking. He's got to sleep sometime, and so do you, Karin," Sakura threatened. Karin looked at her with hurt in her eyes and then anger, as she saw Sakura smiling again. They stared at each other and after a while Sakura let out a small laugh and then smiled bigger. Karin clenched her fist and glared more at her.

Karin finally had enough, "I'll show you, you whore!" She then pulled back her fist and aimed it at Sakura. Right when the fist was about to connect Sakura smiled and dissapeared. Karin looked around stunned and then angry.

"Stop running away, Pinky!" She called out looking at the trees around her. She heard her name and looked around for the source.

"Karin, over here. No, over hear. Karin. Karin, Karin. Karin, Karin. Over hear, Karin," The voice whispered all around her. Then it stopped, and then there was a breath on her neck and, "Karin," was heard. Karin tried to turn around quickly but before she knew it, he feet were kicked out from under her and she was face down on the ground, with a foot on the back of her neck. Karin winced on the pressure the foot was putting on her neck. Sakura was above her smiling down at her.

"See, Karin, if I just pushed a little harder, you'd be gone. You have no idea how appealing that sounds to me," Sakura said adding more pressure to her foot. "But, unfortunately, we're running out of time to complete this mission. If we were late because I killed you, Orochimaru wouldn't be too happy and I really don't feel like dealing with him. So how about, you just accept that you can't order me around and we can go. Okay?" Sakura said with a smile. Sasuke just watched this whole things with a smirk on his face.

When Karin didn't say anything, Sakura pushed harder and Karin let out a gasp of pain. "Ok, Ok. I give, let me up," Karin said almost to tears from the pain. when Sakura didn't Karin sighed and a tear fell down from her eyes. "Please," she finished. Sakura then smiled happily and let her foot up off of Karin. Karin stood up slowly, rubbing her neck. Sakura looked at her and then at Sasuke. Sasuke looked back at her and smirked. Sakura smiled back.

"Should we head out Sasuke? It's getting late..." Sasuke nodded and stood up. He looked at Sakura and then Karin and then back at Sakura.

"Let's go," he commanded and jumped up into the trees, followed by Sakura and then Karin. They were almost to the mountain range and Sakura was dreading that walk again.

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Naruto was headed toward the village gate, he was getting ready to leave to find the closest thing he has to family. He had gone by Iruka's just before he came here and said goodbye to Ehuro. Ehuro was training, again, and hadn't even said much about his sister or the mission. He just said, "ok" and that was it. Naruto told himself that he hated seeing E like that and he would bring back Sakura for him. Ever sense E's family was murdered and Naruto found out that it was Sakura's family, too and Sakura hadn't been back from her mission that day, him and E grew close. He felt bad for E and Sakura and he would be there for both of them. He was there for E now too, when Sakura couldn't be. But he would bring Sakura back. For E, for himself, for Tsunade, and for Konoha. They all needed Sakura, everyone did.

"Hey, Hinata!" Naruto called out to his girlfriend. He went to stand next to her and he wrapped his arm around her waist. She blushed.

"H-hello, N-naruto," She said trying to hid her red cheeks. Naruto smiled at her and then turned to the rest.

"Hey Shikamaru, Tenten," he said. They both nodded to him. Naruto looked down the road and sighed.

"Who is our team leader person? Where is he at?" Naruto asked to no one in particular. He looked down the road and saw someone walking towards them. He smiled when he saw who it was. "Hey Tenten! Your boyfriend is here!" Tenten snapped her head to look down the road and then glared at Naruto.

"Shut up Naruto!" Hinata smiled at her and Naruto and Shikamaru rolled his eyes. Tenten started to walk down the road to meet Neji. Naruto started looking around for their team leader, but he wasn't there. After a few minutes Tenten returned to them with a blush on her cheeks.

"Hehe, told you, Hinata," Naruto nodded and Tenten smacked him upside his head. He rubbed the spot and pouted at Tenten. Hinata laughed at him and Tenten. Naruto looked at her with a pout and then smiled at her and then laughed at himself. It was around ten minutes later when Naruto was mad.

"Where is he? Stupid person! He's late!" Naruto yelled. Waving his arms in the air. Then a poof was heard and the four of them looked over at a tree by the gates and saw Kakashi on it reading his porn book.

"Yo," Kakashi put away his book and jumped down off the tree.

"Eh? Kakashi-sensei! What are you doing here? I thought you were on a mission?" Naruto pointed at Kakashi. Kakashi smiled at him.

"I got back yesterday. Sorry for not coming to you sooner Naruto. Anko was telling me some big news," Naruto smiled at him and put his arms behind his head.

"Heh, so she is going to have your basterd child. Bout time! If your lucky you'll live till the kid's 10. Hehe," Naruto told him. Kakashi's eye twitched and he sighed.

"Naruto, I'm only 28 years old," Kakashi looked at Naruto. At that everyone, except Shikamaru and Hinata, widened their eyes.

"What!?!" Naruto and Tenten yelled. Kakashi nodded his head.

"The fourth was my sensei, and he died almost 16 years ago. I was 12 when he died," Kakashi explained. Naruto still looked stunned, his mouth was open and his arms were hanging limply. Tenten just stared at him.

"Okay, anyway. Are you all ready?" Kakashi asked them all.

"Hai!" Tenten and Hinata said. Shikamaru sighed and nodded.

"You better believe it!" Naruto said with his smile and a thumbs up. Kakashi nodded to all of them and then turned.

"Let's move out!" Kakashi ordered and the five of them jumped out of Konoha and towards Orochimaru's layer. They just didn't know that they were going the wrong way and that Sakura was about to enter the lightning country.

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**Hey guys! Hoped you liked this one. It took me a while to write and my fingers are hurting. I had bad writers block. But I'll try to get the next one up as soon as possible. Thanks for reading. Please review! Remember I am open to ideas and I accept flames. **

**Thanks for reading! See you next time. And don't forget to review and tell me what you think about this chapter. Thank-you!**

**Broken-heart-crossing out!**

**:)**


	11. Rings and Ramen

**Hello! Sorry for the wait. School is about to start back up and I'm busy with all of that and more. So yeah, sorry for taking so long. **

**I hope you all aren't to mad and will still read my story. Thank you for reading and all and thank you to all that have reviewed and giving me motivation and ideas for my story. **

**So I guess we should get on to the story. Hope you enjoy!**

**...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................**

_**Last time:**_

_"Stop running away, Pinky!" She called out looking at the trees around her. She heard her name and looked around for the source. _

_"Karin, over here. No, over hear. Karin. Karin, Karin. Karin, Karin. Over hear, Karin," The voice whispered all around her. Then it stopped, and then there was a breath on her neck and, "Karin," was heard. Karin tried to turn around quickly but before she knew it, he feet were kicked out from under her and she was face down on the ground, with a foot on the back of her neck. Karin winced on the pressure the foot was putting on her neck. Sakura was above her smiling down at her. _

_"See, Karin, if I just pushed a little harder, you'd be gone. You have no idea how appealing that sounds to me," Sakura said adding more pressure to her foot. "But, unfortunately, we're running out of time to complete this mission. If we were late because I killed you, Orochimaru wouldn't be too happy and I really don't feel like dealing with him. So how about, you just accept that you can't order me around and we can go. Okay?" Sakura said with a smile. Sasuke just watched this whole things with a smirk on his face. _

_When Karin didn't say anything, Sakura pushed harder and Karin let out a gasp of pain. "Ok, Ok. I give, let me up," Karin said almost to tears from the pain. when Sakura didn't Karin sighed and a tear fell down from her eyes. "Please," she finished. Sakura then smiled happily and let her foot up off of Karin. Karin stood up slowly, rubbing her neck. Sakura looked at her and then at Sasuke. Sasuke looked back at her and smirked. Sakura smiled back. _

_"Should we head out Sasuke? It's getting late..." Sasuke nodded and stood up. He looked at Sakura and then Karin and then back at Sakura. _

_"Let's go," he commanded and jumped up into the trees, followed by Sakura and then Karin. They were almost to the mountain range and Sakura was dreading that walk again. _

_..........................._

_"Okay, anyway. Are you all ready?" Kakashi asked them all. _

_"Hai!" Tenten and Hinata said. Shikamaru sighed and nodded. _

_"You better believe it!" Naruto said with his smile and a thumbs up. Kakashi nodded to all of them and then turned. _

_"Let's move out!" Kakashi ordered and the five of them jumped out of Konoha and towards Orochimaru's layer. They just didn't know that they were going the wrong way and that Sakura was about to enter the lightning country. _

_......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................._

Chapter 11: Rings and Ramen

"Oh my GOD! Do there have to be so many mountains? This is stupid!" Karin complained. They were almost done with all the mountains. Sakura looked back at her and then turned back to look at Sasuke's back.

They had about fifty more mountains to go and Sakura could barely stand any more of Karin's complaining. Sakura was getting annoyed and that meant that Sasuke was probably, too. Sakura was tired and hungry. She still had not gotten real food and she didn't get that much sleep last night either. Stupid nightmares keep coming back, and Sakura was tired of them. Let's just say that right now, Sakura was moody and was having a hard time controlling her temper right now, before it could become bad for Karin. Very bad.

Sakura wondered how Sasuke was doing it. He always was annoyed by people very easily, at least when they were younger. Sakura guessed that he was either ignoring Karin, which is very hard, or had learned to control his temper like Sakura was trying to do. Sakura figured that he was probably just trying to ignore Karin as best as he could.

"How do people do this? Sasuke-kun? Do you think you could fly me over the mountains? I don't want to walk anymore. Please?" Karin complained. She looked hopeful at Sasuke and Sakura looked at his back, _afraid_ that he might beat on poor Karin.

_Come on, Sasuke. Hit her! Before I do it. _

Okay maybe she wasn't afraid that he might beat on her.

"No," Sasuke said without any emotion. Sakura was wondering how he couldn't have any sign that he was annoyed in his voice. She would have. How was he ignoring he so well, or how was he hiding it? Then, Sakura remembered that he was the famous Ice cube Uchiha. Of course he knew how to hide his emotions, it was his nature, and he was really good at it.

"But Sasuke-kun, I'm tired. I don't want to walk anymore. We have been for so long. It's almost been four hours. Please Sasuke?": Karin said. Sakura fisted her hands but kept them at her side, and she locked her jaw, to keep from yelling at her.

"No."

"Come on Sasuke-kun! Please?"

"No," there was a bit of annoyance in this tone and Sakura's hopes raised on the thought that he might actually hit her.

"But Sasuke-kun. I'll love you forever if you just fly me over the mountains," Karin said. Sakura's eye twitched. Surely, she wasn't that bad when they were younger. Was she? No, she wasn't that bad.

"No," Sasuke's voice was a little firmer this time and more hard.

"Please Sasuke-kun?!" Sasuke sighed and turned around to face Sakura and Karin. He had the same usual cold face and no emotions on his features at all. He looked at Karin and she had a smile filled with hope that he might actually do it.

"Karin, shut up and deal with it. We keep going until we get there. Now, stop complaining," Sasuke said with venom on his voice. Sakura smirked at him. Hopefully Karin would shut up now. Sasuke turned around and started walking again. Sakura sighed, it was quiet. Sakura never knew she liked the quiet so much. Maybe this is why Sasuke is so quiet all the time. Of course, the quiet only lasted for about two minutes.

"How many more mountains are there? Can't we take a break or something? I'm so tired! I can't do this any..." Sakura clenched her fist and then a light bulb went off in her head. Sakura did some hand signs and focused her chakra on Karin. "I mean why do they have to have so many moun--" Sakura smiled at herself. It worked. Sakura looked over her shoulder at Karin and she was holding her throat and trying to speak. She moved her lips but nothing came out.

Sakura giggled a little and turned around to face front again. When she did Sasuke was looking back at her with some confusion on his face, then he looked at Karin and then back at Sakura. Then he smirked and nodded in a way of saying 'thank-you'. Sakura smirked back at him and then nodded back saying 'your welcome'. Then Sasuke turned around and kept walking down the mountain.

Sakura walked until Karin ran past her to Sasuke and she pulled on Sasuke's arm and pointed at her throat. She was frantic and scared that she couldn't speak. Sasuke looked at her and then to Sakura. Sakura smiled and walked up to them. She looked at Karin, and cleared the smile off her face and widened her eyes.

"Oh Karin. You lost her voice. You talked it out, you shouldn't strain your voice so much. All that yelling and stuff isn't good for it. Try to be more careful from now on. Once you lose it once it very easy to lose it again. Try not to talk so much. I'll look at it when we get a chance though. Okay?" Sakura said innocently with a fake smile on her face. Karin had tears in her eyes and she looked frighteningly at Sakura. Then, she nodded and looked down. Sakura smiled at her and then looked up at Sasuke. He looked down at her with a smirk and accusing in his eyes. Sakura smiled innocently at him. He just shook his head and turned around and started to walk again.

"Let's get going," he said as he started on another mountian. Sakura nodded slightly and started to follow after him. She looked back at Karin who started following her and smiled. Karin had her head down and a pout on her lips. Sakura giggled a little and then turned forward again.

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"Lord Orochimaru," Kabuto called out to the snake. Orochimaru was sitting in his bed and turned to the open door where Kabuto was standing.

"What is it Kabuto?" Orochimaru said with a voice that sounded like a dying snake. Well, he was a dying snake in some ways. Kabuto walked in the room, shutting the door behind him and walked over to the tabel by the bed and set down a try with medicine on it, that he had been holding. He sighed and turned to Orochimaru with a syringe filled with medicine to stop the pain.

"We have to do the jutsu soon. Your getting worse. You can't hold on much longer," Kabuto said to him while pulling the syringe out of the snake's skin. As if to prove his point, Orochimaru started to cough violently. Kabuto put his hand on Orochimaru's back and rubbed it gently while gently pouring chakra into his back to ease the coughing.

"I know Kabuto. How much longer does this body have left?" Orochimaru asked after his fit was done. Kabuto sighed, and pulled his hand off of his lord's back and onto Orochimaru's hand.

"About 20 to 30 days," Orochimaru nodded.

"Well, it's a good thing that Sasuke will be back by then, hm?" Orochimaru said. Kabuto nodded and sighed.

"So what's the plan?" Kabuto asked.

"Well... we will wait until I absolutely can't wait any longer in this body and then I will take over Sasuke's body. So, when they get back we will move to the western hideout where all of the supplies is for the jutsu. That way we can use the supplies and then afterwards we can start our research on Sakura and experiments. I want to find out what makes her tick," Orochimaru laughed an evil laugh. Kabuto nodded.

Kabuto began to pick up the try and walk towards the door, but Orochimaru grabbed his wrist. Kabuto looked back at Orochimaru and saw a smile apear on his face, and something in his eyes.

"Hey Kabuto. I would like some company. And it's a little hot in here don't you think?" With that Kabuto smiled at his lord and started to walk towards him. Kabuto bent down and unzipped his lord's pants and looked upon the snake's member. He smiled up at Orochimaru and shot out his tounge to lick the tip. Orochimaru smiled and gasped in his sick pleasure. Kabuto was teasing him and he would get revenge on him soon. Kabuto smiled up at him.

"As you wish my lord," and then Kabuto put his lips around the whole member and sucked the air out of his mouth. Then the night of bliss started for Kabuto and his lord Orochimaru.

**(A/N it kind of grossed me out just writing that so that will be the end of that scene. I don't want to freak anyone out of anything. Ok. NEXT!!)**

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"Hey Hinata, do you want some of my Ramen?" Naruto asked the Hyuuga girl with a dorky smile. Hinata smiled and nodded her head.

"Thank-you Naruto," she said to him and lightly laughed as the blond held out some of the noddles on his chopsticks.

"Here you go," he said. Hinata lightly laughed again and opened her mouth to take the ramen in. Naruto gently pushed his chopsticks forward and Hinata closed her mouth on them and ate the Ramen. She smiled at him and nodded.

"Mmm," she hummed. Naruto smiled and ate a bite himself. He nodded and looked towards Hinata.

"It is good isn't it?" he asked as he fed another bite to Hinata.

"Yes it is," she told him.

They had stopped to rest about five minutes ago and Naruto broke out the Ramen. Hinata was sitting down and leaning against a tree with Naruto next to her. Kakashi was up in the tree adjacent to theirs reading his book. Shikamaru had his head leaned back on other tree and his eyes closed. He looked asleep but everyone knew he was just trying to get rid of the headache Naruto had caused him. Tenten sat against her own tree and was a little dazed she was staring at the ground in front of her. Her mind was in Konoha and a few hours before, when she was with a certain someone. Tenten lightly smiled at the thought.

_**Flashback:**_

_"Shut up Naruto," Tenten yelled at the stupid blond and then started to walk down the road, to meet up with her secret boyfriend. When she did she stopped in front of him about a foot away. _

_"Hey Neji. What are you doing here?" Tenten asked him. He smirked at her and raised a hand to cup her cheek. He looked into her eyes and Tenten looked back in his. _

_"Making sure you'll come back. This is a dangerous mission and I wish you would have declined it," he told her. Tenten sighed and brought her hand up to hold his that was cupping her cheek. She closed her eyes and tilted her head into his hand. _

_"You know I can' t do that. This is Sakura we are talking about. You know that I am only going for her and Ehuro. E needs her. But I promise I'll be back," Tenten told him. She opened her eyes to looked at the man she loved. He looked serious and he looked at her with love in his eyes. He sighed. _

_"I know that. But I want to make sure you will come back. I want to give you something to look forward to when you come back," Neji said to her. Tenten lifter up her head and looked at him with confusion. _

_"What do you mean?" She asked and Neji took back his hand and reached into his pocket. He pulled out his hand and held it to his side holding somehting small in his hand. _

_"Tenten, I know that we have only been dating for a few months and no one really knows. Well, they know because of our youthful teammate, but they don't _know_. But I was thinking and I love you and I know you love me and I was wondering if you would like to.... well... marry me?" Neji looked at her and brought up his hand and opened his palm to show her a little circle with a diamond on it. Tenten looked at it and then up at Neji with her mouth open and then she looked back down at the ring. To say she was surprised was an understatement. _

_"Oh, wow, Neji. Um... are you sure? I mean your only 18 and I'm only 17. I mean..." Tenten looked up at Neji and she saw frantic in his eyes. She smiled at him and then said, "I mean... yes," she finished. Neji let out a breath he was holding and then gave the ring to Tenten. She took it and looked at it closely. She laughed at it, tears coming to her eyes but she wouldn't let them fall. She looked up at Neji and he was looking at her with a small smile and love in his eyes. She looked back down at the ring she held in her hand. _

_It was a ring with a silver band and a ten carot diamond on it with smaller rubies on the side of it. She looked on the inside of the silver band to read the inscription. '_Always my panda' _she let out a laugh at her nickname and looked back up at Neji. She held the ring tight in her hand and reached up to hug Neji. He put his hands around her and sighed in her ear. Tenten held him close and leaned her head in the crook of his neck. She sighed happily and smiled. _

_"I love you," she whispered in his ear. _

_"I love you, too, my Panda," he told her. She laughed. _

_"Jerk," she whispered. She heard his soft chuckle in her ear and she smiled at it. She love it, his small smiles, she loved... well, everything, and she couldn't wait to spend the rest of her life with all that she loved. _

_She pulled back and looked at him with a smile. He had a small smile on his face and he looked down at the ring she was cluching in her hand. He looked back up at his Panda. _

_"Can I see the ring?" Confused Tenten lifted her hand and opened her palm to show him the ring. He pick up the ring and looked at it and then he looked at Tenten and smiled. He quickly put the ring in his pocket again. Tenten looked at him shocked. _

_"What? No, give it back!" She yelled as she tryed to reach into his pocket and get the ring. Neji smiled at her attempts and turned away and held out his arm so she couldn't get the ring in his pocket. _

_"No, when you get back to Konoha you can have it. But you can't have it until your home again," he told her. She stopped trying to get the ring and folded her arms across her chest and pouted cutely. Neji smiled at her, and she glared at him. _

_He leaned forward and kissed her, she tried to pull back but his hands on her neck and head wouldn't let her. She finally gave in and put her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. His hands moved to her waist and pulled her body closer. She smiled into the kiss and opened her mouth to let in his tounge. He searched her mouth and then their tongues fought. They finally pulled back and smiled at each other. Tenten could feel her cheeks burn with her blush. _

_"Mm, ah... I guess I better get going," Tenten looked down at the ground and then up at Neji. Neji nodded at her and kissed her lips one more time. She gladly returned it and smiled at him when they pulled away. _

_"Be careful. And I can't wait to see you when you get back," Neji looked up her body and Tenten blushed harder. He smiled at her. "I love you," he said. _

_"I love you, too," she said to him and then he turned and walked away. She sighed and turned to walk back to the others. _

_When she got there she heard Naruto say, "Hehe, told you, Hinata," Tenten sighed and smacked him on the back of his head. He flinched and rubbed his head. Hinata laughed and then he joined in. Tenten turned away from them and smiled. When she got back, she would be with Neji and everything would be great. She leaned against the wall of the gate and closed her eyes and a light smile appeared on her face. _

_Everything would be perfect. _

_**End flashback: **_

Tenten sighed. She was getting married, she was going to be with Neji, and then she was going to have kids and have a family. She couldn't wait to get this mission over and be back in Konoha with Neji.

"Alright, let's get going. We still have a while to go," Kakashi told them and jumped down off of his tree. Naruto started to pack up his stuff and Hinata helped him. Tenten got up and stretched her arms and legs. Shikamaru sighed and slowly stood up and opened his eyes. Kakashi looked around at everyone and when Naruto was done packing his Ramen, he nodded at them.

"Let go!" He called and then all five ninja were jumping throught the trees, on the way to Orochimaru's hideout.

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Sakura sighed. They had just finished the mountain range and she was tired. She was hungry and tired. Amazingly it was quiet most of the way here. Ever sense she had took away Karin's voice it was, and it was nice.

Sasuke looked back at Sakura and Karin and he could tell they were tired. Especially Karin. He sighed quietly. He was tired, too, but mostly he was hungry. He knew there was a hotel around here somewhere, he had stayed at it when he was on another mission, it was called 'The sparking mountains resort' it was pretty nice but it wasn't very busy because it was for travelers coming across the mountain range. People usually never traveled here during this time of year because it would be bad if you got caught in the mountains in the middle of a thunder and lightning storm, so it should be fairly empty. He stopped and turned back to Sakura and Karin.

"We'll stay in a resort tonight, it's not far from here," Sasuke told them. Sakura nodded and was secretly thanking god and thinking about real food and a place to sleep. Karin wasn't making any noise but Sasuke watched her jump up and down and open her mouth to yell but nothing came out. He smirked at it and started to walk to the resort.

When they walked about a mile of silence to get to the resort, they finally made it. Sasuke walked up to the reception desk and rung the bell that called for someone. Sakura stood next to him and Karin was looking in the fish tank by the lounge. A lady with long and curly copper hair walked into the room and around the desk. She had brown eyes and pale skin. She was pretty and she smiled a pretty smile. She looked about our age.

"Can I help you?" she asked in a sweet high voice that almost rivaled Hinata's.

"We need a room. Do you have one with three beds?" Sasuke asked the lady. The lady looked at him and she looked like she was undressing him with her eyes. She was quiet for a while. Sakura was getting annoyed with her. She cleared her throat but it didn't get the girls attention. Sakura sighed.

"Can you just tell us if you have a room with three beds?" Sakura looked at the girl. The girl blinked and looked over at Sakura. She looked back at Sasuke and smiled.

"Why do you need three beds? Are with any of these girls? Because if your not I would gladly be your girlfriend," she told Sasuke. Sasuke sighed. Sakura's eye twitched at the girl.

"Can you just tell us if you have any rooms with three beds?" Sakura asked with a hardness in her voice. The girl looked at Sakura and glared at her. Sakura clenched her fist and glared back at her. The girl gave up after a few seconds and sighed.

"No, we only have a room with two beds and a couch," the girl told them.

"We'll take that one," Sasuke told her. The girl nodded and got the key for the room out of the drawer. She handed it to Sasuke with a smile.

"Top floor, last door on the right. Dinner is served in ten minutes. Someone will bring it up to you. That will be 200 yen. **( I have no idea what the right amount would be so forgive me if that's too high or low.) **Have a nice stay," the girl told them. Sasuke nodded and Sakura gave the girl a 'thank you' Karin just followed giving the girl a glare.

When they got up to the room, Karin collapsed on the bed. Sasuke walked to the other bed and put his katana down on it. Sakura looked over at the couch in the corner of the room and decided that she might as well take it, instead of arguing with Karin over the bed. Truthfully, she was still a prisoner so she should have the less comfortable arrangements. Sakura sat down on the couch and leaned her head back, closing her eyes and sighing.

After a few minutes Sakura looked over at the clock and it read 6:24 pm. She figured that they serve dinner at 7 pm. She closed her eyes again and soon she heard the bathroom door shut. She opened her eyes to see that Karin was gone. Sasuke was sitting on the edge of his bed looking at nothing and into his thoughts. Sakura looked at him and decided she was too curious to leave him alone, but she didn't want to pry to much.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about anything?" She watched as Sasuke looked up at her and then back down. He shook his head lightly.

"Are you okay?" she asked and then watched as he nodded slightly. Sakura sighed and closed her eyes again.

"Ok..." she said and then the bathroom door opened. Sakura looked up at Karin and Karin looked at her pleading. Sakura sighed again and motioned for Karin to sit down on the couch next to her. She at least had to act that it was Karin's fault.

Karin sat down beside Sakura and lifter her head up and Sakura put her hands on her neck and started to push chakra into it. It crossed her mind how she could kill Karin right now if she wanted to, but she decided against it. The chakra she was pushing into her throat wouldn't do anything but it's good just to make Karin believe it could. After a minute, Sakura pulled her hands back and Karin tried to say something, but nothing came out. She looked at Sakura worriedly. Sakura sighed at her and looked at her accusingly.

"Karin, you strained it good. You should try not to stress your voice so much from now on. It should be good by sometime tomorrow, but be carefull from now on. Okay?" Sakura told her. Maybe if Karin thought she wouldn't loose her voice if she talk to much, she wouldn't talk as much. Karin nodded her head and then a knock on the door was heard. Karin jumped up to get the door and opened to a boy with food for us. Karin opened the door more to let the boy in so he could bring in the food.

Sakura looked at the boy. He was about their age, and had short copper hair that resembled Kiba's, he had deep amber eyes and a sharp and strong figure. Sakura thought that he might be the girl down stairs' twin. They looked alike and Sakura thought he was quiet cute but she couldn't like him. He wouldn't work with her life, he wouldn't understand her at all and it wouldn't work at all. It had nothing to do with Sasuke though, nothing at all. **(Yea right)**

The boy rolled the cart in and Sakura got up to look at the food. They saw her and smiled at her. Sakura smiled back.

"Hey cutie, how are you doing?" Sakura smirked at him and folded her arms across her chest as he started to look her up and down.

_Yep, they are defiantly twins...._

"You know if you want me and you can take this dinner in my room. What you say, sugar?" the boy asked her.

"Um... actually, I--"

"She can't" Sakura looked over and found Sasuke standing behind her about 2 foot away. He had a glare on his face and Sakura sighed. He was afriad that I would run if I had a chance to get away from him.

"Oh, well sweety, I'm down the hall. Last door on the left, if you change your mind. Or you just want to talk. You can wait until you boyfriend goes to bed if you want. I'll listen for you knock," the boy whispered so only she could hear, but knowing Sasuke he probably heard it. Sakura cut him a glance and he still glared at the boy and Sakura thought she saw a little but of red in his eyes. Sakura sighed and looked back at the boy.

"Thanks for the food," she said to him and he winked and then looked at Sasuke and glared back at him. Sasuke wasn't affected by it of course. Almost no one can beat the Uchiha glare. Sakura took a bowl of Ramen off the cart when the door closed. She picked up some chopsticks and looked at Sasuke.

"You should try and be more friendly. It's not like I was going to run as soon as I was out of your sight," she told him. Sasuke just looked at her and went to grab something off the cart. He didn't say anything, but Sakura just sat back down on the couch and began to dig into her Ramen. Oh it was so good.

Sakura slept so good that night with a full stomach and she slept so hard that she didn't have any nightmares. It was a good day for her. Tomorrow would be the hard day though. Tomorrow they would go to the cave and find there target. Tomorrow would be busy.

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**Hey hey! Hope you all enjoyed it. I liked this chapter. Tenten's getting married! YAY! And was Sasuke and Sakura jealous of the resort people? I think so! Oh and I thought it was cute the way Naruto was feeding Hinata. AWW! Ok. SO tell me what you think. Please REVEIW!!!!! Thank you!**


	12. One Long Night

**Hey guys! Sorry. I know it's been almost a month but school just started and it's killing me having to get up so early. So I understand if you are mad or anything. I'm a very bad updater. Sorry again. But I do hope that you will continue to read my story. And I know you have waited long enough for this chapter so here you go. Enjoy!**

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_**Recap:**_

_Tenten sighed. She was getting married, she was going to be with Neji, and then she was going to have kids and have a family. She couldn't wait to get this mission over and be back in Konoha with Neji. _

_"Alright, let's get going. We still have a while to go," Kakashi told them and jumped down off of his tree. Naruto started to pack up his stuff and Hinata helped him. Tenten got up and stretched her arms and legs. Shikamaru sighed and slowly stood up and opened his eyes. Kakashi looked around at everyone and when Naruto was done packing his Ramen, he nodded at them. _

_"Let's go!" He called and then all five ninja were jumping throught the trees, on the way to Orochimaru's hideout. _

_--------------------_

_"Can I help you?" she asked in a sweet high voice that almost rivaled Hinata's. _

_"We need a room. Do you have one with three beds?" Sasuke asked the lady. The lady looked at him and she looked like she was undressing him with her eyes. She was quiet for a while. Sakura was getting annoyed with her. She cleared her throat but it didn't get the girls attention. Sakura sighed. _

_"Can you just tell us if you have a room with three beds?" Sakura looked at the girl. The girl blinked and looked over at Sakura. She looked back at Sasuke and smiled. _

_"Why do you need three beds? Are with any of these girls? Because if your not I would gladly be your girlfriend," she told Sasuke. Sasuke sighed. Sakura's eye twitched at the girl. _

_"Can you just tell us if you have any rooms with three beds?" Sakura asked with a hardness in her voice. The girl looked at Sakura and glared at her. Sakura clenched her fist and glared back at her. The girl gave up after a few seconds and sighed. _

_"No, we only have a room with two beds and a couch," the girl told them. _

_"We'll take that one," Sasuke told her. The girl nodded and got the key for the room out of the drawer. She handed it to Sasuke with a smile. _

_"Top floor, last door on the right. Dinner is served in ten minutes. Someone will bring it up to you. That will be 200 yen. Have a nice stay," the girl told them. Sasuke nodded and Sakura gave the girl a 'thank you' Karin just followed giving the girl a glare._

_------------------ _

_"You know if you want me and you can take this dinner in my room. What you say, sugar?" the boy asked her. _

_"Um... actually, I--" _

_"She can't" Sakura looked over and found Sasuke standing behind her about 2 foot away. He had a glare on his face and Sakura sighed. He was afraid that I would run if I had a chance to get away from him. _

_"Oh, well sweety, I'm down the hall. Last door on the left, if you change your mind. Or you just want to talk. You can wait until you boyfriend goes to bed if you want. I'll listen for you knock," the boy whispered so only she could hear, but knowing Sasuke he probably heard it. Sakura cut him a glance and he still glared at the boy and Sakura thought she saw a little but of red in his eyes. Sakura sighed and looked back at the boy. _

_"Thanks for the food," she said to him and he winked and then looked at Sasuke and glared back at him. Sasuke wasn't affected by it of course. Almost no one can beat the Uchiha glare. Sakura took a bowl of Ramen off the cart when the door closed. She picked up some chopsticks and looked at Sasuke. _

_"You should try and be more friendly. It's not like I was going to run as soon as I was out of your sight," she told him. Sasuke just looked at her and went to grab something off the cart. He didn't say anything, but Sakura just sat back down on the couch and began to dig into her Ramen. Oh it was so good. _

_Sakura slept so good that night with a full stomach and she slept so hard that she didn't have any nightmares. It was a good day for her. Tomorrow would be the hard day though. Tomorrow they would go to the cave and find there target. Tomorrow would be busy. _

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Chapter 12: One Long Night

Sakura woke up feeling very uncomfortable. Her back was twisted at a weird angle and it was killing her; her stomach was sore from laying on it most of the night; and her face was shoved in the couch cushions, giving her a weird fealty smell and a tickle to her nose. Sakura could tell that the sun hadn't risen yet because of the darkness that filled the room, and because she could hear Karin's snoring at the other side of the room.

Sakura sighed quietly and turned around to face away from the couch cushions, and to face the side of the room where the two beds were. It was almost pitch black in the room so Sakura couldn't see much, but the one thing that caught Sakura's attention was the light coming from underneath the bathroom door. Karin was still sleeping and that meant that Sasuke was the one in the bathroom. Sakura sighed and closed her eyes again. He was probably just using the bathroom.

Sakura tried everything to make herself go to sleep, counting sheep, thinking of fantasies that included going home to E and bringing a certain Uchiha with her, and just trying to push everything out of her mind. Nothing worked. It had been almost 20 minutes and she still couldn't go to sleep. Sakura opened her eyes and looked down at the bathroom light that was flooding through underneath the door. Sasuke sure was in there a long time, and then Sakura thought about it and it seemed too long a time for him to be in there. So Sakura did the only thing she could do to see what was going on in the bathroom. She activated her Byakugan, and instantly Sakura saw everything within a the room, but only focused on the bathroom.

In negative vision, Sakura saw what Sasuke was doing. Sakura could tell that he had his shirt off and his pants were on. He was standing at the sink and was using a kunai to cut his shoulder open. The same shoulder that the curse mark was on. Sakura could see the black blood flowing down the drain of the sink. She could see Sasuke lock his teeth against the pain. Sakura got up and turned her Byakugan off. She slowly opened the bathroom door and saw Sasuke there still over the sink. He looked over at her with nothing in his eyes or on his face. He reached up and put a towel over the wound that he made. She just looked at him.

"Why did you do that?" Sakura asked. He looked at her again and then back down at the kunai in his hand. He turned on the sink to wash the blood down the sink and off the kunai.

"It relieves pain," he told her. Sakura looked at the curse mark.

"From your curse mark?" She asked. He nodded his head. Sakura sighed and walked over to him. She started to take off the towel wrapped around his arm, but he grabbed her hand to still her actions. Sakura looked at him and he wouldn't meet her eyes. She just looked back at the towel.

"Just let me look," She told him. Slowly he took his hand off of hers to let her look. Sakura took off the towel and started to heal the wound. After it was healed, she moved up to the curse mark. She inserted my chakra into it and she heard Sasuke grunt at it. She guessed that it hurt, so she hurried so she could stop sooner.

Sakura looked at it a moment longer and then pulled out her chakra. She turned to look at Sasuke, who was still cleaning the blood out of the sink.

"Sit down on the toilet. I want to try something," She told him. He looked at her but then slowly sat down like he told her to. He trusted her. Sakura inserted her chakra into his curse mark again, hearing Sasuke grunt again, but she didn't do anything. She slowly healed some spots of the curse mark, the spot that were weak and giving him the pain.

In the curse mark there were the walls of it that kept all that power in, strong walls. But over the years, some spots of the walls have become weak, letting the power seep out into the muscles of Sasuke's body. And if she didn't heal the walls back up, Sasuke's body would be in bad pain and eventually the power would explode and Sasuke wouldn't be able to control it, and it would eventually kill him.

Sakura found all the weak spots in the walls of the curse mark and healed them. Once they were as good as the other walls, Sakura healed the curse mark as a whole to make sure the walls wouldn't become weak anytime soon. Then she moved to the muscles in Sasuke's arm and healed until the pain from the curse marks power was fading away. She didn't stop until she was sure that the pain wouldn't come back for at least another year or two. She cut off her chakra when she was finished with his shoulder blade, it hadn't gone past that. She knew that Sasuke had cut his arm open because it let some of the power loose from the muscles in his body. It put him in more pain doing so, but after it was healed up it felt better.

She looked at Sasuke and he looked at her.

"Does it feel better?" Sakura asked him. He looked at his arm and flexed it. Sakura felt something jolt through her body. He nodded.

"Aa," he looked up at her. She smiled at him. "What did you do to it?" he asked. Sakura shrugged.

"Well, some of the walls in your curse mark were becoming weak, and the power that is kept locked in there was seeping into your muscles, making the pain in your arm, so I just healed the walls and took the power out of your arm. You shouldn't be having trouble with it for another year or two. In which case, you should go to a medic to get healed again. I mean it. If you don't get it healed, you could die, Sasuke," Sakura told him.

"How would that kill me?" he asked. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Because, dummy, if that power gets everywhere in your body and the curse mark explodes, you wont be in control of it anymore. You'll kill anything and everything in you way and you won't have any control on it. Then, when the power gets exhausted, it will feed off of your chakra until you are dead. Not to mention the whole time that this is going on you'll be in amazing pain. Just get it checked out if it starts acting up again. Okay?" she told him with a demanding tone.

He looked at her. "How do you know I won't be able to control it?" he asked her. Sakura glared at him.

"The only thing that allows you to control it is you curse mark. It's a place to put the power and keep it locked up. If you don't have a place to put the power then the power will spread, no matter how hard you try. Just get it healed when it starts hurting again. Okay?" She told him. He looked at her with an eyebrow raise, but then nodded. Sakura smiled at him and then nodded. She started to walk out of the room, but was stopped by Sasuke's hand gripping her elbow. She turned to look at him with confusion and surprise written on her face, to him with nothing on his face.

"Sasuke, wha--"

"Thank- you, Sakura," he said. Sakura kept looking at him with surprise on her face. There was something in his eyes. She didn't know what it was though. She felt him tug on her elbow, pulling her closer to him. She barely noticed the fact that he didn't have a shirt on, they were in a bathroom with the door shut and his face was only inches away from her face. She looked into his eyes and he looked into hers. She did notice how her body was now pressed up against his but she didn't care.

Sasuke grabbed her other arm and gently pushed her up against the wall. A small thump of her back hitting the wall was heard but it wasn't very big. Sakura looked at Sasuke and the longing in his eyes. At least longing is what she thought it was. It was hard to tell. Sasuke looked at Sakura and slowly leaned into her, his lips barely inches from hers. He looked into her eyes, waiting for her objection, but he saw none. Sakura looked down at his lips and then to his eyes again. She saw the smirk on his lips and saw him lean in closer. Just a little further and their lips would be touching. She could feel his hot breath as he started to lean in to close the distance between them.

**_Bang! _**Sasuke pulled back from Sakura and she looked over to see Karin standing in the doorway of the bathroom. She must of heard that light thump and woke up and then noticed that Sasuke and Sakura's chakra's were in the bathroom together. Sakura was bracing herself against the wall, and was breathing heavy. Sasuke was looking at the wall above the sink, glaring at it, and breathing normally.

Karin was standing in the door way with anger in her eyes, she tried to speak but found her voice was still gone. She walked into the bathroom and pulled Sakura out of it. She pushed her onto the couch, and Sakura was too stunned about what just happened to fight back. So she just sat on the couch with a angry Karin hovering over her. Sakura saw Sasuke walk out of the bathroom, pulling his shirt on.

He looked over at Sakura and Karin, Sakura sitting staring at him and Karin over her glaring at her. Sasuke stared into Sakura's eye for a long time and then turned to look at Karin who was now looking back and forth in between him and Sakura. Sasuke sighed and looked at the window. The sun wasn't up yet but the sky was beautiful, signaling the sunrise. They clouds were a dark and deep purple, and then at the end of the range you could see the clouds turning a hot pink and blood red. Sasuke looked at it and then at Sakura and Karin.

"You've got about an hour left to sleep, get some rest. Then I'll wake you up when it's time to go," he looked at Sakura and she nodded at him. Karin looked at Sakura and then stomped back over to her bed. Sakura knew that she wouldn't go back to sleep, and she doubted that Karin would. She even doubted that Sasuke would go back to sleep.

Sakura figured that she might as well roll over on her couch and try to rest her eyes. So she did. She heard Sasuke's bed crunch down under his weight and it shift around until he was laying down in it. She soon, and too her surprise, heard Karin's snoring.

Sakura turned around on the couch with her eyes still closed. The room was getting lighter with each passing minute and was now glowing a dark blue. Enough to see in the room. Sakura was facing towards Sasuke and Karin's bed and she opened her eyes to see if they were asleep. She saw that Karin was, but Sasuke wasn't. He was looking at her with deep, dark eyes. Sakura stared into his eyes for a minute and then she gave him a small smile. He smirked back at her and then Sakura closed her eyes, and tried and successfully went to sleep.

* * *

_"COME ON OUT!" Sakura screamed to the dark emptiness. She was in a dark room where she couldn't see anything, and she could only hear her feet patting against the stone floor, making a echo in the hall. _

_"WHY ARE YOU HIDING!" She screamed out again. She was angry, livid, pissed. She fiercely looked around her. Nothing. _

_"KABUTO!" She screamed. She stopped when she heard evil laughing. She could tell it was Kabuto. A bright light came on and he was standing in the spot light. He was smiling at me. She clenched her fist and teeth. How could he?_

_"Where is he?!?" she yelled at him. He chuckled again. _

_"Look behind you," Kabuto said. Sakura look behind her and another spot light comes on and she sees Ehuro. He was chained to the wall and his head was hanging low, like he was sleeping. She started to run towards him but Kabuto stopped her by his voice. _

_"Ah ah, If you save him, your mother will die," Sakura looked back at him. Then, another spotlight came on and it showed her mother in the same postition as Ehuro. _

_"Mom.." she whispered. Kabuto chuckled again. _

_"Choose one to save. Your mom or your brother? You save one and I get ones soul. Pick!" He told her. Sakura stood in the middle of her mom and Ehuro. She looked back and forth between the both of them. Tears started to run down her face. Sakura couldn't pick. She just couldn't. She looked at Kabuto with a teary glare. He just smiled at her. _

_"Let them both go. Kill me instead," Sakura tells him. He smiled evily at her. He shrugged. He started to walk towards her. Sakura closed her eyes, preparing for her own death. _

_"Ready?" Sakura heard him say. She nodded. "Okay," and then nothing. Sakura opened her eyes to see what was taking so long and she saw Sasuke looking down at her with anger in his eyes. Sakura looked at the floor and saw Kabuto dead, his eyes open but unfocused. She looked back up at Sasuke, he still had an angry glare to his face, directed at her. _

_"Are you okay?" he asked. Sakura nodded her head at him. He bent down and became eye level with her. "Why would you tell him to take your life?" He said his anger returning to his eyes. Sakura looked over to the chains on the wall and saw no one there. It was an illusion. Sakura looked at him with tears running down her face. _

_"I-I... I'm sorry," She said to him. His gaze softened and then he wiped away her tears. He then smirked at her and pulled her close to him, in a tight hug. He sighed as she cried against his chest. _

_"It's okay, just don't do it again. You know that they are already gone, Sakura. Why would you fall for that trick?" Sasuke told her. Sakura suddenly pulled away from Sasuke. He had nothing on his face, just emotionless. _

_"What do you mean? They're already gone? What? NO!" She said to him. He grabbed her arms but she pushed away from him. "NO! THEY ARE NOT GONE!" Sakura felt more tears streaming down her face and she closed her eyes. "No, no, they are not gone. They are still _here!_" Sakura shook her head. "No, no, no, no...."_

---------

"No, no, they are not gone. They are still _here._ No, no, no, no... no, no,"

"Sakura. Sakura. Sakura wake up," Sasuke tried to shake her awake. She was having another nightmare. Sasuke sighed as he looked at the tears running down her face.

"No, no, no, no..."

"Sakura. Sakura wake up," Sasuke shook her once more, and her green eyes finally fluttered open tears in them and running down her cheeks. She looked at Sasuke and then around the room. She was breathing heavy. Her eyes finally came to rest on Sasuke once more and she began to wipe her tears away with her hand.

"Sorry, Sasuke. Just another bad dream I guess. Sorry if I woke you up," Sakura apologised. Sasuke shook his head.

"It's fine. I didn't go to sleep anyway," he said still looking at her. She nodded her head and then looked out of the window. The sun was a big dull yellow across dark blue clouds. The room was well lit now and Karin was still sleeping. She looked back at Sasuke and smiled at him.

"So I guess it's time to start packing up?" Sakura asked him. He looked at her and then stood up off the couch. He nodded his head and then looked at Karin and then back at Sakura.

"It's your turn to get Karin up," he said. Sakura glared at him.

"What? Why? I think you should be the one to get her up," Sakura told him getting up from her couch. He shook his head and smirked at her. She smirked back at him.

"Hn, I am the leader of the team, and you get to wake her up," Sakura shook her head and folder her arms across her chest.

"Nope," she said. Sasuke looked at her and then started to walk towards her. Sakura took steps back until she hit the wall. She looked at him with surprise in her eyes, he just smirked back at her. He leaned into her and pressed his body against hers. Sakura started to breath heavily again and she looked up into his eyes. The longing was there again, except the longing was there with amusement. He still had a smirk on his face.

"You wake her up," Sasuke said to her in a whisper, and then he pulled away from Sakura and Sakura looked at him in surprise. He smirked at her and then turned his back on her. Sakura glared at him. This was not over. Sakura walked up behind him and turned him around. She pushed him against the wall soundlessly and then without hesitation, pressed her lips to his.

The first thing that Sakura thought was how soft his lips were, then she tasted it, it was so good. There wasn't anything to compare it with. It was Sasuke's own taste and Sakura loved it. Sasuke kissed her back almost as soon as she kissed him. His hands found their way to her hips and her's found their way to his neck and hair.

Sasuke's first thought was the way her lips fit perfectly between his top and bottom lip. Then it was the baby soft skin of her lips. Then it was the way she tasted. It wasn't sweet, but Sasuke never liked sweets, it was more of a spicy and hot taste that Sasuke liked well. It was Sakura's own personal taste and Sasuke like it. A lot.

And they both loved the way the other kissed them. They both loved the way that everything else seemed to fade away at that moment and it was just them, in each others arms. But the moment ended to soon. They pulled back from each other and Sasuke opened his eyes to see cloudy emerald ones. She was so beautiful with her heavy breathing and swollen lips. She looked up at him and he smirked.

"You still get to wake her up," he said and then turned her around and pushed her against the wall and kissed her again. Her hands reached up to his hair and lightly pulled at it. She moaned into the kiss as he ran his hands over her hips and spine. Their lips fit perfectly together. Sasuke licked Sakura's bottom lip and she opened her mouth without hesitation. He stuck his tonguein and it mangled with hers, and then explored her mouth. This went on for a while longer and then the time came when they needed to breath. Sasuke pulled back from Sakura and they both were breathing heavily. Her eyes were still cloudy and his were searching hers. She looked up at him. He smirked at her and she smiled a small smile at him.

"Do I have to wake her up?" She asked him. He nodded and bent in to kiss her again. It was just a little peck, but it had a lot of emotion in it. Sakura kissed back without hesitation. He pulled back and smirked at her again.

"Yes," he said and then he backed away from her and with one last look went into the bathroom. Sakura looked at the closed door and put her fingers to her lips. Did that really just happen? She looked over to the red head sleeping on the bed across the room. She sighed and walked over to it. Sakura sighed again and then began to poke Karin.

"Karin. Karin. Hey, Karin," Sakura said. Still no response from the animal. Sakura looked at the pile of drool that was on the sheet and the string of drool that was dripping from her open mouth. Sakura gave a disgusted look and a sigh. No wonder Sasuke didn't want to do this. Sakura didn't want to waist all day trying to wake Karin up nicely so she resulted to a more... faster way.

Sakura used her chakra and turned into Sasuke, then she covered her chakra to feel like his. She then, walked back over to Karin and bent down next to her. She then whispered into her ear in Sasuke's velvet voice.

"Karin, wake up. I've got something to show you," Sakura said and as soon as it was said in Sasuke's voice, Karin woke up and practically started jumping on the bed.

"What is it Sasuke-kun?" She mouthed, she still couldn't talk. Sakura smirked the Uchiha smirk, and Karin's eyes got hearts in them.

"This..." Sakura said in Sasuke's voice and then she turned back into herself. As soon as Karin saw this, she got confused. She knitted her eyebrows together and looked around the room.

"Where did Sasuke-kun go? He's got something to show me," Karin mouthed. Sakura stood there staring at her. Wow.

"Karin... you might as well be Ino," Sakura said to herself. Karin looked at her. Then, Sasuke came out of the bathroom. Karin jumped off the bed and ran towards Sasuke. She practically jumped on him, and he pushed her away. She looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

"What do you have to show me Sasuke-kun?" Karin mouthed. Sasuke looked confused at her and then at Sakura. Sakura looked at him, trying to hold in her laughter and smile, and shrugged.

"I don't know," she said. Sasuke looked back at Karin.

"Let's just get ready to go," he said to her. Karin nodded with a pout on her face, which was not cute whatsoever. Sakura nodded with a small smile on her face. Sasuke turned to his bed and picked up his katana and placed it on his belt. Sakura clipped on her ninja tool bag and Karin got her backpack packed and then they went to check out of the resort.

* * *

"I hope your stay here was enjoyable. To bad we didn't get to spend anytime together," the girl that had checked them in was checking Sasuke out, in both ways. Sakura was getting annoyed with her and her brother, who was also there at the counter.

"Yeah, maybe me and you can get together next time. What do you say, sweetheart?" the boy looked Sakura over with a smile on his face. She crossed my arms over her chest. She could just feel him undressing her with his eyes. Sakura looked over at the girl, and then at Sasuke. He was glaring at the boy that was staring at me. Sakura then looked over to Karin who was glaring at the girl that was undressing Sasuke with her eyes. Sakura sighed and then grabbed Sasuke's arm and pulled him towards the exit. Karin followed behind.

"Come back soon! I want to get to know you better sweetheart!" The boy called to Sakura. Sasuke looked sharply back at him with that glare. Sakura sighed and pulled Sasuke's wrist until they were outside. Karin was walking infront of Sakura and Sasuke now. She still hadn't gotten her voice back yet.

"I hate that boy," Sakura heard Sasuke say. Sakura smiled a small smile at him and slid her hand down into his. He took it and squeezed it. Sakura blushed and squeezed back. Sakura looked up at the overcast sky and the sun behind the clouds. It would be raining soon. They still had a few hours until they got to the cave. Sakura looked over at Sasuke and found him looking at her from the corner of his eye. He smirked at her and she smirked back at him. Sakura looked to the long landscape ahead of them and sighed. It was deffinatly going to be a long day, just how the night was also long.

* * *

**Hey guys. I know that this one didn't have any of the Konoha ninja's in it, but I felt I needed to get Sasuke's and Sakura's relationship started. So I hope you guys liked it. Please review! And I've got another story out. Please check it out if you already haven't. It's another story on Sasusaku. Thanks guys!**

**broken-heart-crossing!**


	13. The Close Calls

**Hello! It's been so long and I'm so sorry. As you may know I have another story out and it's been keeping me busy and school has been pretty busy also. But here is the next chapter. Hope you all enjoy.**

* * *

_**Recap:**_

_"I hope your stay here was enjoyable. To bad we didn't get to spend anytime together," the girl that had checked them in was checking Sasuke out, in both ways. Sakura was getting annoyed with her and her brother, who was also there at the counter._

_"Yeah, maybe me and you can get together next time. What do you say, sweetheart?" the boy looked Sakura over with a smile on his face. She crossed my arms over her chest. She could just feel him undressing her with his eyes. Sakura looked over at the girl, and then at Sasuke. He was glaring at the boy that was staring at me. Sakurathen looked over to Karin who was glaring at the girl that was undressing Sasuke with her eyes. Sakura sighed and then grabbed Sasuke's arm andpulled him towards the exit. Karin followed behind._

_"Come back soon! I want to get to know you better sweetheart!" The boy called to Sakura. Sasuke looked sharply back at him with that glare. Sakura sighed and pulled Sasuke's wrist until they were outside. Karin was walking in front of Sakura and Sasuke now. She still hadn't gotten her voice back yet._

_"I hate that boy," Sakura heard Sasuke say. Sakura smiled a small smile at him and slid her hand down into his. He took it and squeezed it. Sakura blushed and squeezed back. Sakura looked up at the overcast sky andthe sun behind the clouds. It would be raining soon. They still had a few hours until they got to the cave. Sakura looked over at Sasuke and foundhim looking at her from the corner of his eye. He smirked at her and she smirked back at him. Sakura looked to the long landscape ahead of them and sighed. It was definitely going to be a long day, just how the night was also long._

_

* * *

_

**_With Konoha Ninja:_**

"There it is," Kakashi said to his team. They had reached Orochimaru's so called hideout. All that was visible was a few rocks and stacked up in the middle of the forest. Kakashi and Shikamaruwere on a high branch over lookingthe hideout. The rest of the team was on the ground waiting for orders.

"Doesn't look like much," Shikamaru said crouching low on the branch. Kakashi nodded at this, but he knew that beneath those rocks were tunnels andtunnels that wound like snakes beneath the earth.

"So I think we should wait until dark to move in. It's only noon so we'll have to retreat to a safer location until the darkness falls in," Shikamaru suggested to the captain. Kakashi just nodded again. He was ready to get Sakura back. He was always like his daughter andshe had been through so much the last month. He was just ready to bring her home, as were the rest of this team.

"Alright, let's inform the others," Kakashi said andthen they jumped down back on the ground where the rest of the team was waiting. Naruto, Hinata and Tentenall stood, from their positions on the ground, when the two landed on the ground. Kakashi looked at Hinata.

"Hinata, can you use your Byakugan to see if you can detect Sakura's chakra in the base?" Kakashi asked her. She nodded. Then she put her hands togerther and turned her bloodline on.

_"Byakugan_!" She stressed quietly. After a minute she opened her mouth to speak. "I-I can't see anything. There must be a barrier or something around the base. I'm s-sorry," Hinatasaid while deactivating her Byakugan. Kakashi nodded.

"It's ok, Hinata. I figured it wouldn't be that easy. We'll retreat to a safer location until dark andthen we'll move in. We'll have to search the tunnels one by one. When one of us find Sakura, they'll notify the rest by communicators. As soon as we get her move out. Avoid Kabuto or Orochimaru. If you come in contact with Sasuketry to bring him back but it's not necessary. Our main focus is Sakura. Got it?" Kakashisaid with his demanding voice. All of them nodded. "Ok, retreat a little back and make camp and get some rest before tonight," he said. They all then jumped off to get some rest to prepare for the mission to come.

* * *

**_With Sasuke, Sakura, and Karin:_**

It was about noon and they had made it about half way through the landof Lightning and it was only their third day into the mission. If they were lucky they could get there by tomorrow, get what they needed and head back to the base. Maybe they could be back a day early. That would be good, then Sasuke could train more, Karin could do... Karin stuff, and Sakura could go back to doingabsolutely... nothing. That would be just great, just fantastic.

"Alright!" Karin yelled. She had been bugging Sakura the whole way to _heal _her throat. Sakura finally sighed and gave in and gave Karin's voice back. That is what the yelling was about.

"Careful, Karin, you don't want to lose your voice again so soon," Sakura mumbled loud enough for the other two to hear. Karin smiled sheepishly, not cute, at Sasuke when he smirked.

"How much longer do we have to go?" Karin asked in a quiet voice. Here comes the complaining again. Sakura sighed. This really was going to be a long trip.

"We'll hopefully get there by tomarrow. Maybe late tonight," Sasuke said as he continued to walk next to the river bank. They were staying close to the river because they knew they would be able to use it as water and because they knew it lead to there location. It also ran into several villages that they could get food at, maybe stay at a hotel tonight. At least that is what Sakura was hoping. She needed another hot shower.

"Great... Why is this taking so long? We've been walking for hours," Karin complained. Somethings never change. Sakura even thought about taking her voice away again already, but she figured that Karin would shut up in a few minutes.

**Two hours later:**

"My feet hurt. I wish someone would rub them for me," Karin said looking hopefully at Sasuke. Sasuke had an annoyed look on his face and just turned his head to the side. Sakura felt like her ears were bleeding. Karin had not stopped complaining the whole time.

"How much longer?" She asked. Everyone just ignored her. "OHHH! My feet are killing me! Someone should carry me. Sasuke-kun?" she asked sweetly.

"No," he said quickly as she was about to jump on his back, he quickly moved out of the way while Karin fell to the ground.

"Ouch, Sasuke-kun. Why did you move? I thought you were going to give me a piggy-back ride," she retorted. Sasuke had to resist rolling his eyes andcringing away. He stood next to Sakura now. She had been pretty quiet this whole time. She must be thinkingabout something or someone. Actually she was thinking about everyone back home, but E mostly, and she was thinking about what would happen when she got back home. Who knows? Hopefully Naruto can forgive Sasuke andeveryone else can give him another chance. Hopefully they haven't all forgotten her. Hopefully everything will be alright again. Hopefully...

"Sakura?" Sakura heard her name andshe looked up to find Sasuke lookingat her with something like worry in his eyes.

"Yea?" She asked. He looked at Karin and then back at her and leaned forward and whispered in her ear so Karin wouldn't hear.

"I promise I'll make sure you get back home safely," he told her. Sakura opened her eyes in shock and they started to sting but she wouldn't let the tears come. How come he knew what she was thinking and what she was worried about. She was worried that she wouldn't make it back home at all and he some how just made that fear suddenly disappear. Sakura looked back at Sasuke and he had a patient look on his face. Sakura smiled a small smile.

"Why would you say that?" she asked him. He just looked back at her for a minute.

"Because I now how your brother feels and I know he probably misses you really bad and I don't want him to feel like that for the rest of his life. And I want to make sure you get home so you can see him grow up and become a great ninja. I'll make sure he will have a better life than me. No one should be alone like I was and like he is now. That's why."

A smiled appeared on ones face and then a small smirk on the other. A blush here and a bigger smirk there. Both eyes go to the ground in front of them and then emerald eyes lands on the others face. Another smile and then eyes close and a head bows.

"Thank-you Sasuke-kun."

* * *

**_Konoha Ninja:_**

"Ok," The Captain whispered. "Let's go."

Feet moved like the wind through the trees and leaves. Kunai's andother weapons were drawn out causinga slicing sound. A small and quiet dog bark and "_Byakugan,_" was quietly said. The moon was high in the sky andit was about midnight. It was a warm night with a cold breeze. Stars were sparkling in the sky like fireflies caught in a black blanket. Five ninja'sstayed in the shadows movingtoward the hideout in hope of finding the pink haired medic andbeloved friend of theirs, andbringing her back home with them.

"Tenten move to the rock from the South, Shikamaru; West, Naruto; East, I'll take North," orders rang out from the communicators as the moved to their positions. When they were all there more orders were said. "Find the way to get in." After a while of searching the huge rock mass Naruto's voice came on.

"I can't find it anywhere. This is stupid," more mumbling was heard but was blocked out by the other members of the team. "--believe that we can't find one simple do--- ow!"

**_BOOM!_**

"What happened now, Naruto? We're suppose to be quiet," Shikamaru asked.

"Um... I think I found it," all the ears of the team perked up and started off in Naruto's direction. When the team got there they saw Naruto staring at a huge black opening in the side of a rock. On top of it was a large purple snake drawing. "When I sat down on this rock here that rock fell off andthen I found that," Naruto explained. Kakashi nodded.

"Ok let's go in. Be on your guard. I'll be in front, Shikamaru you take the back, Narutoyour behind me, and Tentenyou get behind Naruto. Hinata your in front of Shikamaru. Got it?" All four nodded their heads. Kakashi nodded at them and started into the cave.

They continued through the one passage way hallway. It was lit by small flames on the walls making long andmysterious shadows. Their feet made soft pats on the ground and echoed a little. Then they came to a fork and it went into two more hallways. Kakashi stopped and thought about it for a minute.

"Shikamaru, you go with Tenten. Hinata and Naruto come with me. You two go down the right side and we'll go down the left one. This will be our check-point," Kakashi said as he threw a kunai into the ground marking this spot. They all nodded and moved down their halls.

Kakashi, Naruto and Hinata all moved quietly down the left hall. Along the way they opened doors to check for Sakura. They hadn't found anyone so far andit was strangely quiet. Until suddenly a bloodcurdling scream ripped through the silence. Kakashiwhipped out a second kunai and put up a defence as Naruto and Hinata also put up their defences. The scream ecohed through the halls and then it was silence again. The scream came from furthur down the hall. It was a woman screaming but they were sure it wasn't Sakura.

"Hinata, can you see anything?" Kakashiwhispered behind him and then you could hear Hinata quietly turn on her bloodline and scan the area. Naruto watched her patiently as Kakashikept watch over the surrounding area. After a few seconds Hinata gasp.

"Oh, no," Hinata charged forward toward the area where the scream came from.

"Hinata!" Naruto ran after her. Kakashi shocked ran after them both. Hinata suddenly stopped in front of a door and quietly turned the knob to enter the door. Kakashi got there right when she had creaked the door open and Naruto, now, took Hinata's hand off of the knob andpushed her behind him and then he turned back towards the door and began to open it more. When it was open enough for the three of them to see inside all they saw was darkness.

"She's in there. They hurt her pretty bad," Hinatawhispered behind Naruto. Naruto rushed in ready to kill whoever had hurt Sakura. He stood in darkness with Hinata and Kakashi behind him. Then all of a sudden the candles on the walls turned on at the same time. Naruto saw blood on the floor andwalls. Cracks were in the ceiling and walls and weapons of all kinds were buried in the walls and floor and ceiling. And in the middle of the room was... Tenten. Hinata gasp again.

"Tenten!" She began to rush to her but was stopped by Naruto holding her back. "Naruto?" Narutowas looking around. The candles couldn't have just turned on by themselves. Someone else was here.

"Hinata, stay back," She looked at him and for a moment she looked like she was going to protest but decided it best not to. She stepped a few steps back until she was underneath the door frame. Kakashilooked around andnoticed a shadow movingalong the walls. It kept getting faster and faster until it stopped on the floor right above Tenten's body. It slowly moved into a body of a person. It was a man with white eyes and green pupils. **(A/N: the same man that grabbed Sakura. Raiden.)**

"Who are you?" Naruto asked, he had a glare on his face. He wondered where Shikamaru went and if he was okay.

"The name is Raiden and I am sent to kill you," the man said. Naruto rushed towards him and tried to hit him but the man would turn into a shadow andmove to a different location. He was smiling at Naruto with a teasing grin. Kakashi started to get him to and that's when the man's smile started to disappear because it was two on one. Naruto came at him from one side and then Kakashi came from the other, Raiden moved but got a cut on his arm from one of Kakashi's kunai's. Raiden then got an idea.

Hinata, who had been standing and watching with worried eyes at the door, felt hands on her arms and a cold medal being pressed to her throat. Naruto looked at her when he heard a whimper from her and saw Raiden holding a kunai to her throat. Narutobegan to rush in to save his girlfriend but was stopped by Kakashi.

"Hold on, Naruto," Kakashi ordered.

"Hinata..." Naruto said as he looked at the worry in her eyes.

"It's ok, Naruto. Just get Tenten out of here and back to Konoha," Hinata said with a pained look in her eyes. Naruto stared at her with his own pained look.

"Hinata, I'm not leaving without you. Forget it," Naruto said to her.

"Naruto, please. Tenten needs help. Just go," Hinata said. Naruto looked from Hinata and Raiden and then back again. He sure as hell was not leaving Hintaa with this fucking creep.

"No," he said. He wasn't leaving her, no fucking way. Kakashi had been standing by trying to think of a plan. This was a very hard situation that had almost no escape without leaving someone behind.

Raiden laughed evilly. "You guys are here for the pink haired chick, right? Well let me tell you what happened between me and that pretty girl. What I did to that little girl. Let's just say that I had my fun with her, oh yes did I have lots of fun, just like I'll have my fun with this one," he said as he licked Hinata's ear and smiled when Hinata shivered in disgust. Naruto made a move forward again but was stopped again by Kakashi.

"Get your dirty hands off of her! I don't believe you, Sakura would never let you do anything with her!" Naruto yelled. Raiden smiled.

"Well I guess your right. Lord Orochimaru's pupil person, Sasuke-sama, wouldn't let me, that bastard. I tried to get her to come to my room with me but Sasuke-sama threatened me. But I promise to get to her when Sasuke-sama isn't around anymore. She's got to sleep sometime," Raiden said. Naruto stood there angry and shocked, but only the anger showed on his face. Kakashi was also shocked and didn't show it. They were shocked to hear that Sasuke protected Sakura from this guy. Maybe the Sasuke they knew was still somewhere in there. Just maybe.

"But this little girl, right here, she _will_ be mine and I _will _do to her what I want to," Raiden said as he started to rub his hands over Hinata's arms and then face and then moved down to her breast and slowly moved down to where her woman hood was. Naruto tried to save her but Kakashi kept holding him back. If Naruto stepped closer, Hinata might die and they couldn't risk it.

"Let her go you Bastard!" Naruto yelled. Raiden laughed evilly.

"Oh no. I think that I'm going to tie her to my bed and then make her hurt so bad she'll be begging me to kill her. Then, I'll do the same with the one on the floor behind you," He laughed. "This is going to be so much fun. What do you think sweethear--" That's when Shikamaru appeared behind Raiden and stabbed him in the back of the throat, killing him instantly. Raiden dropped on the floor and Hinata fell to her knees. Naruto ran over to her and held her in his arms on the floor. He whispered assuring words to her as she cried on his chest. He rubbed her back.

"Are you okay, Hinata?" Naruto asked. Hinata pulled back from Naruto and nodded, whipping the tears off of her face. Kakashi nodded. Shikamaru rushed over to Tenten and picked her up. She was losing blood fast. They had to get out of here and stop the bleeding and then return to Konoha. The mission was a failure and they had to get help for Tenten.

"Let's head out of here," Kakashi said. Naruto nodded and helped Hinata up, but here knees were shaking and it was hard for her to even stand. She was scared. Naruto rubbed her back, he knew that she couldn't keep up with them if they ran so he turned around and told her to get on his back. Hinata hesitated before climbing on his back. Naruto held her thighs and Hinata put her arms around his neck. Naruto then nodded at Kakashi and Shikamaru who was carrying Tenten on his back as well. Kakashi nodded back and led the way out of the building.

Hinata rested her head on Naruto's shoulder and sighed. She still couldn't do much when she was the one that was the one in trouble. She always had to be saved. A tear fell down her cheek and fell on Naruto's shirt. Naruto felt the wetness and began to rub circles on her thigh with his thumb, trying to make her feel safer.

"It's ok, Hinata. Your safe. No one is ever going to hurt you if I can help it," Naruto whispered to her. Hinata smiled a soft and small smile at him and tucked her head more into his shoulder. She sighed again.

"Thank-you, Naruto," she said and closed her eyes in contentment and worry. Contentment because she knew she was safe here in Naruto's arms, and worry because Tenten was slowly dieing not 5 feet away, and worry because Sakura is still out there and in danger.

**30 minutes later:**

"Okay, I think she'll be ok until we get back to Konoha,"Hinata said as she whipped the blood off her hands. She wasn't a medic ninja but being on a team with Sakura helped. Sakura had made sure to teach the whole team about cleaning up and patching wounds just in case. Hinata was the one that picked it up better than the rest of the team. Tenten was laying on one of the sleeping bags with her wounds wrapped up. She was sleeping and her face looked like she was in a little pain but it wasn't as bad as a little while ago. Hinata walked over to Naruto and sat down next to him and leaned against the tree. Kakashi and Shikamaru watched as Naruto stared at her face with worry. He was worried that what happened earlier would have scared her to the point of nightmares, but when he looked at her face all he saw was worry for Tenten.

Naruto sighed and slid his arm underneath her back and wrapped it around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Hinata looked up at him and smiled a small smiled and laid her head on his shoulder with a hand laid on his chest. She closed her eyes and felt safe. Naruto always made her fell safe, andlike everything goingto be alright... like everything was ok. She liked it.. no she loved it.

Shikamaru closed his eyes with a smirk on his face and Kakashi watched Naruto and Hinata with a smile hidden underneath his mask. He remembered Naruto as the nuckle-head and determined little ninja that wanted to be honored and be Hokage more than anything. Now he sees the same nuckle-headed and determined ninja, who isn't so little anymore, that wants, more than anything, to save his loved ones and be there for everyone. He still wanted to be Hokage but it wasn't on the top of his list anymore. On the top was to protect Hinata and save Sakura and Sasuke. Kakashi smiled again thinking about how much Naruto had changed. Naruto was a little ninja learning the importants of life, now Naruto is a honorable ninja who knows that the importants of life is his loved ones. Kakashi knew that Naruto would do anything for his loved ones, expiecally Hinata.

"Ok, everyone rest for an hour and then we'll head off to Konoha. I know it's still dark but we'll move slow, this way we can get Tenten back as soon as possible. I'll take watch," Kakashi said. Everyone got up and got a sleeping bag. Hinata laid hers down and Naruto came over and laid his right next to hers. Hinata smiled at him and crawled in her sleeping bag as did Naruto and then Naruto tuned over and held Hinata as they both closed their eyes to get some rest. Hinata had a small and content smile on her face as she drifted off and Naruto just held her as close as possible and fell asleep knowing she was safe right now. Shikamaru looked at Kakashi from his own sleeping back.

"Naruto sure has grown hasn't he?" Shikamaru said. Kakashinodded once more looking at Naruto and Hinata.

"Yeah, he sure has." Shikamaru nodded and then closed his eyes to get some rest also. Kakashi sighed and with one last look on Tenten, to make sure she was still ok, and then at the rest of the team he turned his gaze up to the star-filled sky. Naruto has changed, Sakura has changed, Sasuke has changed, all of Konoha has changed, even he has changed. Kakashi sighed. Times had changed, and they will keep changing and no one can stop it.

* * *

**With Sasuke, Sakura, and Karin:**

"All this walking is killingmy feet. I have sores on my ankle now! My poor feet!" Karin yelled. No one was aroundthe group as they still walked along the river side. They were a few miles from the location of their target. They had stopped three times to rest during the journey here, and Karin had complained the whole time. Sasuke and Sakura were walking side by side and trying to block out Karin's voice.

Sasuke was about to stab the girl as Sakura was about to take away her voice again. Sakura had thought about it but she didn't feel like lookingat Karin waving her hands up and down and bugging Sakura about healing her throat the whole time. Sakura sighed. She was getting tired, tired from Karin wearing her out and from the long journey.

Sakura looked up at the moon above them, it was only a quarter moon tonight but it still gave off a lot of light. The stars sparkled around the moon and small and dark clouds were scattered along the sky. She briefly wondered if someone from Konoha that she love was looking at the same moon right now. She missed everyone. Sakura sighed again.

Of course, Sasuke being Sasuke, had noticed all the sighs coming from the girl next to him. He looked at her and saw her looking up at the sky. He figured that they should stop for the night so that they could have their strength for the actual mission tomorrow when they reached the area that their target was at. He looked at Karin and then back at Sakura.

"Ok, were going to stop at the next village for the night. It's only about half a mile ahead," Sasuke said as he continued to walk with him head down.

"YES!!!" Karin shouted. "I get to take a shower! I get to sleep in a bed! I get to sleep in the same room as Sasuke-kun!" she said in a sing-song voice.

"Oh my Kami, just shut up already," Sakura muttered under her breath but still loud enough for everyone to hear it. Sasuke smirked and peeked his eye open to look at Sakura who was still looking at the moon. Karin stood on the other side of Sakura with her mouth hanging open. Sasuke smirked wider and closed his eyes again.

"What?!?" Karin exclaimed. Sakura sighed.

"Can you be quiet for like five minutes? You've been talking the whole time. Just shut up already. We know your feet hurt, we've heard about it for the last five hours. Ok, we get the point so just stop talking already. Ok?" Sakura turned to Karin and said that with a slight glare. Karin glared back.

"Why don't you shut up! Your annoying everyone just by being here. At least my voice is beautiful and Sasuke-kun wants to hear it! Your just annoying and weak!" Karin shouted back. Sasuke expected a fight to break out because he knew Sakura hated being called annoying and weak and he got ready to break up a fight, but Sakura just sighed again and closed her eyes and spoke softly.

"If i'm annoying and weak, what are you? Unbearable and useless?" Sakura asked. Karin just glared at her.

"NO! You're a bitch!" Karin shouted.

"Thank you. And your a slutty bitch," Sakura said without even moving. Sasuke smirked. Karin's jaw dropped.

"Atleast I have all the good looks. Atleast I can get anyone I want," Karin said.

"Ok, Karin, whatever you say. Can you shut up now?" Sakura asked. Karin huffed.

"Fine!" Karin yelled. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away. Sasuke looked at Sakura and smirked when he saw her small smile. Then they all continued on walking in silence. Sasuke actually couldn't believe that Karin was staying quiet. He was actually thinking that tonight was going to be peaceful.

"HOW MUCH LONGER!?!" Sasuke and Sakura sighed. Sasuke thought that thought to soon. It was going to be another long night.

* * *

**With Konoha Ninja:**

"Ok! They gates are just up ahead. Shikamaru I want you to take Tenten to the hospital. Naruto I want you to go get Tsunade and tell her to get to the hospital to help Tenten. Hinata I want you to come with me and we will go get Neji. Understood?" Kakashi ordered. Tenten's wounds had reopened during the trip back and there was no time to heal them again, so they had to hurry to the hospital.

"Hai!" Everyone's voices rang out. When they all crossed the village gates they all went to do their jobs. Naruto headed to the Hokage tower, Shikamaru to the hospital, and Hinata followed Kakashi to the Hyuga compound. Neji wasn't going to like this at all. Hinata knew about the engagement. Neji had come to her and asked for ring advice, Hinata was very excited about the upcoming wedding, but right now she knew Neji was going to be upset and it wasn't going to be a very pleasant moment. Hinata was worried about her future cousin-in-law and about her cousin.

When they arrive on Neji's doorstep they knocked loudly. After a few short seconds the door opened to show Neji in his usual outfit. It was around 8:00 am. Neji scanned them for a minute.

"Where's Tenten?" Was the first thing out of his mouth. Hinata looked at him with worry and pity in her eyes.

"Neji-nii-san, Tenten is in the hospital," As soon as she said that Neji closed the door quickly and started to run to the hospital. Hinata and Kakashi ran after him. On the way Kakashi explained to Neji what had happened and how bad her condition was. Hinata thought she was tears build up in his eyes but couldn't tell because he blind to quick, but she still saw sadness, fear, and worry in his eyes. His pace quickened and in a matter of minutes they were outside of the room where Tenten was, waiting.

Tsunade was already there working on Tenten, and she or Shizune wouldn't let Neji see her. They pushed Shikamaru, Kakashi, Hinata, Naruto, and Neji out side. They sat on the bench on the opposite wall. Neji had his head bent down his hair falling over his face so no one could see how much worry was written on it. His hands held his head up, which was supported by his elbows on his knees. Hinata sat next to him with Naruto on her other side. She silently and gently rubbed his back, although she was sure it wasn't really helping. Naruto had his arms around Hinata's waist and was rubbing circles on her hip with his thumb again. Kakashi sat next to Naruto and was looking at the door which led to Tenten's room hearing all the calls inside. Shikamaru had his eyes closed but was not asleep he was also listening to all the calls coming from the door.

"Get more blood!" Rang out Tsunade's voice. A nurse ran out of the room to get it.

"Someone get to work on that wound on her head! Shizune help me out with the one on her stomach!" Tsunade called out. More rushing was heard and then the nurse ran back in the room with the packaged blood.

"Someone hand me that scalpel!" Tsunade said.

"Ino! Try to get the bleeding from her throat to stop!" Tsunade ordered Ino.

_Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep..._

"Shizune help Tokama with that head wound!"

_Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep..._

"Come on people!"

_Beep... Beep...... Beep..... Beep........._

"Tsunade-sama! Her heartbeat is dropping!"

_Beep..... Beep.......Beep.......Beep..........._

"Don't lose her!" Tsunade yelled.

_Beeep....... Beeeep....... Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee............ _

"She's flat lined!" A nurse yelled.

"Charge the paddles!" Tsunade yelled.

_Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee................._

"Clear!"

_eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...................._

"Clear!"

_eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.........................._

"Clear!"

_............._

"One more time! Clear!"

* * *

"Ok... it's over. Time of death---"

Tears fell from Neji's eyes. He heard the flat line. He looked up and got up quickly. He ran into the room.

"NOOOO!!!!!" Neji shouted. "NO! Tenten, can you hear me?!? It's me Neji! Come on!" Neji cried in her ear. He squatted by her bedside and looked at her face that had no life. The tears ran freely down his face. "You can make it through this! Please for me! Wake up! Please!" He grabbed her cold hand. "I love you... my Panda..." he bowed his head and cried the rest of his heart out. "My Panda..." he whispered.

_......Beep......Beep...Beep...Beep..._

"She's back!!!" Tsunade yelled. She also had tears rolling down her face, watching Neji's confession and his heart breaking. Almost everyone watching was crying. The rest of the team stood in the door way watching. Hinata was crying on Naruto's shoulder, and he was trying to calm her down. Shikamaru, Kakashi and Naruto were the only ones not crying and yet they still had sad looks in their eyes. But when he heart started back up Hinata looked up in hope and everyone looked at Tenten. Neji's eyes flashed to Tenten's face, to find her eyes slowly opening. Tenten stared at the ceiling for a moment with confusion.

"Panda?" Neji called from her side. Tenten looked at him and then after a minute opened her mouth to say something.

"Jerk," she said. Neji recalled that she said that after he called her his panda when he proposed to her. He laughed slightly and more tears, tears of relief rolled down his face. She smiled sweetly at him and sqeezed his hand tightly. He sqeezed back with a small smile on his face to. Tenten looked around and then flenched.

"Ow," she said.

"What is it?" Neji asked conserned.

"My neck," she said. Tsunade moved over to her and started to heal her neck. After a moment it was done and there were no other wounds on her body. All she needed now was rest.

"Ok... let's move her to a recovery room. I want her under observation for the rest of the night, just in case she goes under again. Understood?" Tsunade said quietly. Every nurse nodded their head and went to move Tenten to a different room. Naruto, Hinata, Shikamaru and Kakashi all backed up so they could roll Tenten out of the room. Neji walked beside her holding her hand the whole way down the hall. The last thing they all saw was how Tenten looked up and Neji and Neji looked down at Tenten and they both smiled with love clearly in their eyes. Then they saw Neji pull something out of his pocket and slip it onto het finger. It was the ring.

* * *

**With Sasuke, Sakura, and Karin:**

"Ok, let's go," Sasuke said quietly. They were outside the cave where Sakura had gotten all of her power from. This was where their target was. Their mission was about to actually start. They all started to move into the cave. A cave that smelled like death and evil. It wasn't a new smell to Sasuke and Karin but it was a odd, but familiar smell to Sakura. She remembered the bodies stacked up along the cave walls. Sure enough when they turned the corner she saw all of the bodies again, this time they smelled worse and insects were eating their flesh. Sakura looked away again and closed her eyes tight. She still hated that she was to late to save those people.

Sakura suddenly felt a hand on hers. She looked at the hand and saw Sasuke looking at her from over his shoulder. He gave her a nod that told her to continue. Then, not letting go of her hand he led her deeper in the cave. Once they got to the opening where Sakura remembered the jutsu taking place they saw only darkness. Sasuke, Sakura, and Karin all traveled further into the cave. They saw another tunnel on the other side of the room and it had lights flickering in it. They slowly and quietly walked over to it. Sasuke let go of Sakura's hand and pulled out his katana. Sakura just stood ready to defend herself. Karin pulled out her kunai, not that it would help her much.

They entered the hall and followed the wall candles to another room. There they found Senu studying all the paperwork of the jutsu.

"Senu," Sasuke said. Senu turned to find the three of them there. He looked at Sasuke but then he saw Sakura.

"Hey! You're that girl that cut the lightning and got all the power!" Senu stated. Sakura nodded.

"Senu, we are here for all the files of the jutsu. We need all the names of the people that were included in the jutsu that Sakura interrupted. Senu looked at Sasuke. Now that Sakura looked at Senu he looked to be about a year or two younger than them. He kind of looked scared. Sakura walked past Sasuke and stood in front of Senu.

"Hi, my name is Sakura. How long have you been here by yourself, Senu?" Sakura asked the boy.

"Sakura," Sasuke said in a warning voice. Sakura just ignored him.

"Um... I've been here ever sense Kenyu left. I don't know how to get home," Senu said.

"Where is your home?" Sakura asked.

"It's in a small village on the outskirts of the lightning country. The village is called Tikita. Where are we?" Senu asked.

"We are in the lightning country, and in fact I think we past that village on the way here. If you give us the files of that jutsu, then we can take you home. Would you like to go home?" Sakura asked. Senu nodded.

"We can take you. Will you give us those files?" Sakura asked. Senu nodded again.

"Follow me and I'll show you where they are," Senu said and began to walk out of the room. He followed the hall and kept walking past the huge opening where the group had entered. They walked in darkness down the same hall until Senu opened a door. He did a hand sign and shot balls of fire from his mouth and lit the wall candles. In the room was a huge cell where they must have held all the captives. At the end of the room was a stack of papers. Senu lifted the paper stack and walked over to Sakura and handed them to her. Sakura smiled at him.

"Thank-you Senu. Now how about we get out of this place and we can all go ho-- back where we came from," Sakura said. She had almost said home but where she was going back to was not home, it was the place she came from. Sasuke noticed this as well. Senu nodded and Sakura turned and gave Sasuke the files and he gave her a look of approval and a smirk. Her way was so much easier than what he planned to do, but of course he wouldn't admit that out loud. Sakura gave him a small smile. Then walked out of the room followed by Senu, Sasuke, and Karin.

If Sasuke would have done it his way, Senu would have probably died. Sakura just saved the kids life and saved Sasuke some time. That was a close call.

* * *

**Ok... well that was it! Hope you all enjoyed it. I hope I can update soon but who knows. Lol. Please review!!! **

**Broken-heart-crossing!**


	14. Connections

**Hey guys….. I know it's been forever but my family didn't have internet for a while. A long while, but now I do and I have read over my old stories and decided to continue them. I feel wrong for leaving them hanging around with no end to them. So here we go with chapter 14. **

** Recap:**

_**With Konoha Ninja:**_

_"Ok... let's move her to a recovery room. I want her under observation for the rest of the night, just in case she goes under again. Understood?" Tsunade said quietly. Every nurse nodded their head and went to move Tenten to a different room. Naruto, Hinata, Shikamaru and Kakashi all backed up so they could roll Tenten out of the room. Neji walked beside her holding her hand the whole way down the hall. The last thing they all saw was how Tenten looked up and Neji and Neji looked down at Tenten and they both smiled with love clearly in their eyes. Then they saw Neji pull something out of his pocket and slip it onto her finger. It was the ring._

_**With Sasuke, Sakura, and Karin:**_

_"Thank-you, Senu. Now how about we get out of this place and we can all go ho- back where we came from," Sakura said. She had almost said home but where she was going back to was not home, it was the place she came from. Sasuke noticed this as well. Senu nodded and Sakura turned and gave Sasuke the files and he gave her a look of approval and a smirk. Her way was so much easier than what he planned to do, but of course he wouldn't admit that out loud. Sakura gave him a small smile. Then she walked out of the room followed by Senu, Sasuke, and Karin._

_If Sasuke would have done it his way, Senu would have probably died. Sakura just saved the kids life and saved Sasuke some time. That was a close call._

Chapter 14: Connections

**With Sasuke, Sakura, Karin, and Senu:**

"We'll stop for the night in Baotou," Sasuke said to the group.

"YES!" Karin exclaimed. Sakura rolled her eyes and looked at Senu. He was walking to her right but still a little behind her. He stared at the ground with a light smile. Sakura smiled a little to herself. She knew he must be very excited and happy about going home.

Sakura slowed down a little, leaving Sasuke's side, but he didn't look up to see what she was doing, he knew. "Hey, Senu how old are you?" Sakura asked. Senu looked up at her, the smile fading as he was pulled from his thoughts of home.

"Oh, I'm 14," he replied.

"I see. Are you training to be a ninja?" Sakura asked.

Senu smiled a little. "Well, in our country you aren't allowed to train to be a ninja, unless you live in the Hidden Cloud Village. But my father has been teaching me a few things that he thought might be useful for survival. There have been a lot of people missing around the country lately, and now I know why. I just didn't learn to defend myself well, and look what happened; I get turned into a slave and lost from my home. I'm pathetic," as he was speaking his smile disappeared and Sakura thought she might have seen tears build up in his eyes.

"No, you're not pathetic. You kept yourself alive. You did what you father taught you to do and that was survived. He will be so proud of you for being so strong. He's probably sitting at your home right now waiting to hear that you're okay. He will be so relieved to see you," Sakura gave him a bright smile. "We will get there around this time tomorrow."

Senu smiled brightly and nodded his head. "I'm very happy to be going home. Thank- you all so much for helping me," he said looking at all three of them.

Sakura was the only one to respond, Karin was busy running her fingers threw her hair trying to untangle it, but the wind just kept messing it up again. Sasuke was busy being Sasuke.

"Well it's the least we could do for you helping us out."

Sasuke smirked listening to this conversation. If it wasn't for Sakura, Senu would not be on his way home right now. He'd be dead, either from Sasuke trying to get the information out of him, or from being left to starve. He had Sakura to thank for his life. Sakura has always been a giving person; always put others first, even him. Even the man that broke her heart, left her on a bench, and made her cry so many times. Sasuke knew that he would never find anyone like her. If he'd ever settle down, he knew who it would be with.

Sasuke, Senu, and Karin were sitting in the hotel room. This hotel was nicer than the last. The got the nicest room available, which happened to be a sweet. Three rooms, the master bedroom with a private bathroom, a living room with a fold out bed, and another bedroom this one with two beds, and of course another bathroom that connected to the living room. They decided that Senu could sleep on the fold out bed, Sasuke would have the master bedroom, and Sakura and Karin would share the other room. That didn't really make Karin or Sakura happy, but there wasn't much complaining; at least from Sakura's side. Karin was still complaining a little but everyone was ignoring her.

Sakura was in the bathroom, stripped naked. The hot shower water was running as she stood in front of the mirror.

_Uh…. I'm so thin…._

Her lack of eating good food, or really her lack of eating _at all_ was making her lose weight like crazy. She could see her own ribs and her hip bones stuck out like crazy. The skin under her eyes were a dark purple, proof of her nightmares.

_I need to eat more, keep up my strength. Too bad I don't have a jutsu to grow food. _

Sakura then entered the shower closing the curtain. The water felt so good on her skin. She sighed. So relaxing…

When she was finished washing her body and her hair she shut the shower off and moved the curtain a little to grab a towel on the wall. She wrapped it around herself and pulled open the curtain. She gasp.

"Oh, Sasuke!" He was standing against the door to the bathroom, staring at her with deep onyx eyes, and smirked was played on his face. The expression on his face and the look in his eyes made Sakura blush. "What are you doing in here?" Sakura wrapped the towel tighter around herself.

"Keeping myself entertained. It's boring just sitting out there by myself," Sasuke said as he pushed off the door moving closer to Sakura. Sakura stepped out of the tub and onto the rug on the floor. She reached up to ring out her hair. She smiled.

"Where are Karin and Senu?"

"They got hungry and went downstairs to the buffet. I wasn't hungry for food," He was standing above her looking down on her. Sakura smiled up at him and put her hands on her hips.

"Well, what are you hungry for then?" She couldn't believe how bad she was flirting right now. She knew if she didn't stop where this was headed. Did she want that? Did she want to be intimate with Sasuke just now? She didn't really know but she knew she needed to be close to him. She stepped closer, pressing her wet body against his.

"Hn, something a little more exciting. Some_one_ I should say," he said his smirk growing bigger. His hands found her hips and he leaned his head down. He looked in her emerald eyes, and there was so many emotions going through that connection. Lust, longing, excitement, humor, and maybe even a hint of…Sakura didn't even know, all she knew was that it felt like home. Everything felt right in his arms.

Their lips touched and it was a burst of life. Sasuke didn't know why he was doing this, well, he did, she was beautiful, sexy, smart, and all his. He just didn't know why he couldn't stop himself from acting out. When they kissed, though, it was like Sakura's body was infused with life and it made him come back to life, it made him feel. He felt many things, and he liked it. He usually didn't like emotion but when it came to Sakura, he loved the way she made him feel.

Her hands came up to play with the back of his neck and his hair. The kiss deepened, and Sasuke's hand came up to the top of the towel. He broke the kiss to look into Sakura's eyes, for permission. Sakura looked up at him with clouded eyes, and smiled. She reached up and shed the towel from her body. She was too skinny but she knew Sasuke wouldn't judge her. Sasuke looked at her naked and wet body, she was beautiful. Sasuke smiled at Sakura as she grabbed a hold of his hand and placed it on her breast. Sasuke started to play with the nipple as Sakura moaned and began to kiss him again.

Sakura started to unbutton Sasuke's shirt, getting wetter between her legs. She moaned a little louder as Sasuke leaned down to lick the nipple that he'd been playing with. They were so in the moment that nothing else mattered.

Sasuke pushed Sakura against the wall, shedding his shirt and pants. He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his hips. Sasuke kissed her neck and lightly bit it. Sakura leaned her head back and moaned again. She grinded against him, she could feel him. She blushed as she realized how big he was. Sasuke set Sakura down and pulled off his boxers, never leaving her lips. He then picked her back up and again she wrapped her legs around him. This time engulfing Sasuke's member between her legs and between her lips.

Sakura gasp… It's been a long time since the last time, and she couldn't believe that this time it was with Sasuke. The other times had been meaningless, this time it couldn't be. This moment would change everything about her and Sasuke's relationship.

It felt so good to both of them. Sasuke had his eyes closed; it had been a long time for him, too. The other few girls that had gotten to him never got a real piece of him. He just did it for pleasure, boys have their needs. With Sakura it was different, he felt a real connection. He loved it; he never felt so close to someone before.

They grinded each other faster and faster, Sasuke looked at Sakura and her beautiful body. He'd never been so entranced with another woman. Sakura was special. Sakura couldn't focus, it felt so good. She held tight to Sasuke, she couldn't stop her eyes from closing, it just felt so good. She could feel it, her climax was coming on and she moaned louder.

"Sasuke, faster. I'm almost there," she moaned in his ear. Sasuke sped up like he was told, and he could feel his cum building up. It was getting hard to hold in. Sasuke moaned a little as he started to feel Sakura's wall tighten up, squeezing his dick harder. Sakura started to moan louder as she climaxed and juices started to run down Sasuke's member. Sasuke couldn't hold back and longer and came inside of her tight walls. Sasuke moaned as he did so and laid his head on Sakura's shoulder.

"Oh, wow," was all Sakura could say. She was in a daze. Sasuke looked up at her and their eyes met. He smirked at her.

"Good?" he actually cared about her opinion, but he was pretty sure that she had fun. Sakura's eyes focused and she smile big.

"Oh yes. Amazing," Sasuke nodded and exited Sakura's womanhood. He slowly set her down keeping an arm around her.

As soon as Sakura got on her feet and standing alone, however, she felt dizzy. She hadn't eaten since the night before. Sasuke noticed her slowness.

"Are you okay?" he was actually worried, she looked pale.

Sakura gripped the sink for support. "Yea, I'm fine just a little dizzy, I've used a lot of energy today, and our activity didn't help," she weakly smiled at him. He looked at her worriedly.

"You need to eat. Get dressed and we will go get some," Sasuke handed her the clothes that were on the toilet seat and kept Sakura steady as she dressed, and then he too, got dressed.

**So this is my first chapter in a while, and here's your first lemon R&R please. Thanks!**

**Broken-heart-crossing!**


	15. Reunion

**Again I'm sorry for taking sooooo long to update this story. Hope you all aren't too mad at me. **** But without further ado, here we do with chapter 15.**

_**Recap:**_

_"Good?" he actually cared about her opinion, but he was pretty sure that she had fun. Sakura's eyes focused and she smile big._

_"Oh yes. Amazing," Sasuke nodded and exited Sakura's womanhood. He slowly set her down keeping an arm around her._

_As soon as Sakura got on her feet and standing alone, however, she felt dizzy. She hadn't eaten since the night before. Sasuke noticed her slowness._

_"Are you okay?" he was actually worried, she looked pale._

_Sakura gripped the sink for support. "Yea, I'm fine just a little dizzy, I've used a lot of energy today, and our activity didn't help," she weakly smiled at him. He looked at her worriedly._

_"You need to eat. Get dressed and we will go get some," Sasuke handed her the clothes that were on the toilet seat and kept Sakura steady as she dressed, and then he too, got dressed._

Chapter 15: Reunion

**With Sasuke, Sakura, Karin and Senu:**

They had been walking nonstop and were now nearing the village of Titika, Senu's home village. As they Sasuke and Sakura were walking close to one another with Karin and Senu slightly behind them, Sakura noticed how Senu was getting fidgety. He had a smile that was growing larger and brighter with every step they took towards the small village.

The village of Titika was just before the huge mountain range that the small group had to pass through anyway, so they figured they would escort Senu home and maybe stay in a hotel.

Sakura blushed a little when she thought of the last time they stayed in a hotel, about her and Sasuke's first intimate encounter. She looked up at the man who had stolen her heart once again, not that she ever got it back, and he glanced down at her and smirked with a look in his eyes that told her that he knew what she was thinking about. Sakura smiled, blushed again and looked down at the dirt path beneath her feet.

_I can't believe we did that… maybe there is hope for a happy future for me._

With the hope blossoming in Sakura's chest, she couldn't help but think of the future that they might have together if he came with her back to Konoha.

She pictured them growing old, living in the old Uchiha district. Sakura had an apron on cooking supper as Sasuke sat at the table sharpening his weapons getting ready for a mission with his ANBU squad. She pictured a little girl in a crib, twin five year old boys, a ten year old boy and…..

_Shit! I got to stop thinking like that, we've only had sex once and I don't even know if he will even come back to Konoha with me. _

"Sakura," Sakura looked up from the ground with a frustrated expression on her face. Not at who was speaking her name but at what she was thinking about. How could she let that one flicker of hope turn into a whole fantasy? It would be great but still… it was far-fetched.

"Yes, Sasuke?" She changed her expression immediately, not wanting him to even have a chance at what she was thinking about, and replace a smile on her face.

"You haven't been talking a whole lot since the other day. You feeling okay?" he looked at her with a little hint of concern. Maybe he was worried she was regretting what happened between them.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just thinking of home," she said with a smile on her face. He nodded in understanding and looked at the ground letting his own mind wander off.

_I hope she doesn't regret having sex with me the other day. I wonder if she'll want to come back to Konoha with her? Do I even want to go back? It will be annoying having to go through trials but I think if I came back with Sakura they would let me back into the village. I've already decided that I want to fulfill my second goal in life, I just hope Sakura doesn't mind helping me out. _

"Hey! I see the village. I'm almost home!" Senu's voice rang with excitement. Sakura looked at him with a smile. She was glad that she could help someone out while being a prisoner. She missed helping out at the hospital and such, so having someone happy because of something she did was a relief.

Senu began to walk faster. Once they reached the street of the village, Senu looked around. Everything was so familiar, but as if it was all from a dream. He never thought he'd see home again. He looked at the small shops and the buildings, trying to remember what way home was.

"Senu!?" The said boy turned around to look at the voice calling his name. There was a woman there with long black hair, and brown eyes. She was short and pale and Sakura saw relief and shock fill up her eyes. They all noticed the bundle she carried in her arms that was wrapped in a pink and purple blanket.

Senu's eyes widened and tears sprang to them as he started back into the woman's eyes. "MOM!"

With the look in the woman's eyes, Sakura could tell that that one word confirmed what she was seeing. The woman rushed forward toward Senu and enveloped him in a one-armed hug still being careful not to hurt the baby girl that was in her arms. Senu hugged her back, crying silently. The mom was hysterical though.

"Oh my gosh! Baby, I never thought I'd see you again! We have been so worried about you. We even called in ninja to search for you but they couldn't find you and we thought we had lost you forever. I'm so glad you're home. Are you okay? What happened? Where have you been? How did you get home? Oh, baby I'm just so glad you're home! Wait till you're father sees you. He hasn't been the same since you went missing. I love you so much. I can't believe you're in my arms right now. Both my babies in my arms," she went on. Sakura felt tears sting her eyes. The reunion was very heart-warming. Senu cried for a minute long while his mom held on to him. Then he pulled back from her, looking down at the baby.

"So this is my little sister. I've been waiting a long time to meet you. What's her name mom?"

The mom looked at both of her children with a smile on her face and tears still streaming down her face.

"Sahuna, she looks so much like you. Your dad has a hard time being around her," the woman said with a small, sad smile.

Sakura opened her eyes wide. "Sahuna…" Sasuke looked over at her.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" He said with worry in his voice. Sakura looked down. It couldn't be her little sister. Her Sahuna was… gone.

"That was my little sister's name… Sahuna," Sasuke noticed the tears running down her face but she quickly wiped them away. This was not the place to cry. Sasuke understood, though and he slipped his hand in hers. Rubbing circles on the back of her hand to let her know he was there for her. She smiled a sad smile at him and squeezed his hand tighter before looking back at the reunion before her.

"Mom, I'm so glad to be home. These nice people found me and offered to bring me home," Senu said gesturing toward the three people that stood behind him. His mom rushed over and hugged Sakura.

"Oh thank you so much! I don't know how we can ever repay you," Senu's mom gushed. She then stepped back and hugged Sasuke and Karin. The both of them looked awkward, but Sakura laughed.

"It's no problem, we were headed this way and decided that it would be better for him to travel with us than get lost trying to find his way home. You have a very sweet boy," Sakura smiled at the woman who was now standing next to her son with an arm around him, never wanting to let him go, again.

"Thank you so much. My name is Mayling. Would you all like to join us for dinner? It's the least I could do," Mayling said with a big smile and bright eyes.

Sakura looked up at Sasuke waiting for his answer.

"Of course, we are hungry anyway. It has been a long travel," he smiled at Mayling and then down at Sakura. Sakura smiled back.

"Fantastic. I was just buying some groceries for dinner so just give me a second and we will head that way," Mayling said before going back to the shop she was at before, towing Senu along with her.

Sakura smiled again, it was good to see a family back together again. She looked up at Sasuke and she smiled down at her.

"Alright free food!" Karin said with enthusiasm. Sakura glared at her.

"It's not like you have to ever pay for the food anyway. You should be more respectful to someone who is willing to feed complete strangers," Sakura said with venom in her voice. Karin had been getting on her nerve more and more.

"Humph…" Karin huffed. That's when she noticed Sasuke and Sakura holding hands.

"Hey, let go of my Sasuke-kun!" Karin said ripping the two apart. Sasuke and Sakura both glared at her but decided it wasn't worth arguing over. That's when Mayling returned with Senu in tow and he was holding a big back of food.

"Okay, let go. Follow me please," the woman smiled, leading the way to their house. Senu smiled at Sakura and she smiled back. Then they walked after Mayling.

…..

They arrive at Senu's childhood home and Senu and Mayling were giddy and excited to tell Senu's father that their long lost son had finally returned home. They had a plan to surprise him. Senu stood at beside the door as Mayling knocked loudly on it.

"Sheng, could you open the door for me, my hands are full!" Mayling called through the door. Sakura heard a loud groaning sound and footsteps before the door opened.

Senu's father was tall with brown hair and brown eyes. Sheng looked at the three people behind Mayling and got a confused face.

"Mayling, what's going on? Who are these people," he asked. Then Senu stepped around the corner, carrying the food. Sheng's eyes widened and he reached out to touch Senu. Tears started to seep out of his eyes when he realized that he was real. His boy was home! "Senu? Oh thank god. I am so glad you are home," Sheng said as he pulled his son in for a strong hug. Mayling looked upon them, tears in her eyes again.

"Sheng, these people brought him home to us. I invited them to dinner," Mayling explained the three strangers to her husband. Sheng finally pulled out of the hug.

"Of course, of course. Come in, come in, please. Senu walked into the house after a his dad patted him on the shoulder, looking at his son lovingly. Mayling stepped up next to her husband.

"Sheng, we got our little boy back," she said as she hugged him. Both had tears in their eyes.

"I know, I know. Seems like the gods got our prayers," he said as he bent down and kissed her. She nodded and went in to allow the guest to come in. As Sakura stepped up to the door Sheng gave her a hug. "I don't know who you are but I am greatly in your all debt. You made my family whole again. Thank you so much. Sakura nodded and introduced them.

"Sheng, my name is Sakura Haruno, this is Sasuke and Karin," Sheng's eyes widened.

"Sakura Haruno?! I've heard a lot about you. You're famous! People all around talk about how you've saved their family members in the war. You're the great medic ninja from Konoha!" Sakura smiled sadly at him.

"Yes, that would be me," Sheng didn't notice the sadness in her eyes or in her smile.

"Come in, please. Make yourself at home," Sheng smiled. He shook Sasuke's hand thanking him and then hugged and thanked Karin, too.

…..

It was now dinner time. Senu had been sharing with his family about his wearabouts and how Sakura, Sasuke and Karin saved him from starving in that awful, body-filled cave. They sat down at the dinner table, which was a little small for six people, but they made it work. Sheng prayed.

"Dear gods, we are so thankful for the happiness you have given us today. Thank you for sending these wonderful people to help our son find his way back to us. Our lives are whole now and we couldn't be more thankful to you and Sakura, Sasuke and Karin. We pray that you keep an eye on them and us for the remainder of our lives. Thank you for this food and for my family and my new friends. Amen," he prayed.

"Amen," was heard in unison around the table. Then it was silent while they ate. When Sakura, Sasuke and Karin had finished their dinner they sat there, waiting for the civilian family to finish. Then they heard a cry from the small living room.

"Oh, that's Sahuna," Mayling said as she got up from the table to sooth her baby. Again, the name brought a tearing feeling in Sakura's heart. Mayling returned to the table holding the baby girl, who looked to be about six months old, and trying to eat the remainder of her meal with the other hand.

"Mayling, would you like me to hold.. Sahuna, while you finish eating," Sakura asked. Mayling smiled and nodded.

"That would be a great help dear. Thank you all so much for all that you have done for my family," she said while passing the baby girl over to Sakura. Sakura took the girl into her arms, being sure to be very careful with her. She looked about the same age as her Sahuna was. Sakura smiled at the little girls brown eyes that shone brightly back at her. The little girl smiled in returned and laughed.

"It's no trouble at all, thank you for the food. We really appreciate it," Sasuke said poliety. Sheng nodded and smile. He had a brightness in his eyes as he looked around at his family. Sasuke saw a tear slip down his cheek as he turned back to his food. Sasuke smirked.

_It feels good to help people. _

Sasuke looked over at Sakura, who was cooing and clucking at the baby in her arms. She was smiling but there was sadness in her eyes. Sasuke did notice how good she looked with a baby in her arms, though. He smirked again.

_Sakura would be the perfect mother. _

….

**Back in Konoha:**

"Neji…. Neji… Hey JERK! Wake up!" Tenten yelled while she smiled at her fiancee`, who was sleeping on her legs. At the yelling his eyes fluttered open and he smiled up at Tenten. He sat right up, blinking the sleep from his eyes.

"Hey Panda, how are you feeling?" Tenten smiled. She had been at the hospital for two days and they declared that she would fully recover.

"Great, I woke up with you sitting next to me," Neji smiled at her. "You missed the doctor," she declared.

Neji gave her a worried look. "What did he say?" Tenten smiled.

"That I am recovering beautifully. I can go home in a couple of hours!" Neji's eyes widened with happiness. He smiled at his panda and kissed her lips.

"Great, you're moving in with me." He declared. Tenten gawked at him.

"What? We've only been engaged, technically two days," she said. Neji raised his eyebrows at her.

"You don't want to live with me?"

"What? Of course, I do. It's just that… are you sure?" Neji smiled and kissed her hand.

"Panda, I almost lost you and I am not letting you out of my sight again. You are mine now and with me you shall be," Neji stated. Tenten blushed. How could she refuse that lovely, handsome face.

"Of course. I love you," she said. Neji bent over and kissed her on the forehead.

"I love you more. Don't you ever scare me like that again, or I will severely punish you." Tenten lauged.

"Oh and what would you do?"

"I think you know," Neji smirked. Tenten laughed the musical laughter than Neji loved. He smiled.

"Jerk."

…..

"Your mission failed miserably,"Tsunade stated to the four shinobi in front of her desk. "Tenten almost died and Hinata almost got kidnapped. Not to mention there was no sign of Sakura, Sasuke or even Orochimaru and Kabuto," she glared at the reports on her desk. Oh how she needed sake right now.

"I have decided that we will _not _be sending out another team in search for Sakura until more is known about her _actual_ whereabouts."

"WHAT!? Are you serious Baa-chan! We need to find Sakura before she gets hurt!"

Tsunade glared at the blond ninja in front of her. "Naruto, Sakura is fully capable of handling herself. She is stronger than all of us here. I can't risk letting others get hurt when I know that she will eventually return on her own. She is smart and I have faith in her."

"But what about Ehuro?! He needs her!"

"Naruto, we all need her, but if I keep sending out squads to search for her and they come back empty handed Ehuro will lose hope. It will only hurt him more when we say that we can't find her. He will lose faith. Right now, this is my decision. Dismissed." She said. Kakashi, Shikamaru and Hinata left while Naruto was still glaring at the floor.

"This isn't right. What if she needs us?" he said calmly. Tsunade sighed.

"Naruto have faith. She wouldn't let herself get hurt. She was only kidnapped because they used E against her. She is strong and she has the will of fire. She will return on her own. Have faith and be ther for E, he needs you and Sakura needs you to be there in her place," she said gently.

Naruto looked into her eyes and then after a long moment he sighed in defeat. "You're right. But if we hear anything about her whereabouts I—"

"We will send a recovery team." Naruto nodded as he looked at Tsunade. Tsunade sighed again.

"Come on," she said as she got up from her desk. Naruto looked confused.

"Where we going?"

"First to pick up Ehuro, then to Ickiraku's for some good ol' ramen." Naruto smiled a sad smile.

"Okay."

…..

**With Sakura, Sasuke and Karin:**

After saying their farewells to Senu's family they started to walk toward the nearest hotel in the village. Mayling asked if they wanted to stay there but there wasn't enough room. So they were here now at the 'Titika Inn' asking for a room with three beds. The older lady at the counter directed them to the largest suite they had which three rooms, also; a master bedroom, a living room with a fold out couch and another, smaller bedroom that had a bed. Sakura decided that she would take the couch, she was still the captive. As Karin was settling in her room and Sasuke in his, Sakura sat there on the couch. She was staring off into space, thinking about the family they had just left. Sakura grew partically fond of all of them. The time they spent with Senu was great. He was a great boy that reminded her of Naruto. He was funny and kept the mood light.

His little sister… Sahuna. Sakura couldn't help but think of her sister as she played with the baby girl. Although they looked totally different, they were about the same age. Sakura felt like she had bonded with that little girl, just like she had with her little sister, even though she had only known them both for a day before they were never to see each other again. Sakura sighed as she continued to stare off into space.

"What are you thinking about?" she heard the familiar voice ask. She didn't look at him; her eyes were fixated on the one spot on the floor. He sat down next to her pulling her chin so that her eyes would meet his.

"Just thinking about Senu and his family… and my family," she said. She knew if she lied he would know. He nodded, understanding. He didn't quite know what to say so he said the first thing that popped into his mind.

"Seeing you with that baby made me think you would be a good mother," he blurted out before even realizing what he said. Then he mentally slapped himself.

_What was that? That wasn't suppost to come out! Shit. She probably thinks we are crazy!_

Sakura laughed a musical laugh as she looked Sasuke in his eyes. "You think?" He nodded. She sighed. "Well, I've always wanted to have kids someday." Sasuke smirked but inside he was smiling like a fool.

"Hn…" He said while he looked at her with… that look in his eyes that Sakura couldn't place. She got lost in that unnamed emotion. They stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like a peaceful eternity. Well, peaceful until Karin came stalking into the room glaring at them for being so close.

"Sasuke-kun… want to come have dinner with me downstairs. I'm starving!" Sasuke glanced at her but then looked back at Sakura smirking.

"No, you want to go with her Sa-ku-ra?" A shiver shot up Sakura's spine, why did that turn her on so bad?

"Um.. N-no, thank-you, Karin. I'm full from dinner at Senu's house," she stated looking at Karin hopeing that blushed didn't show.

"Humph, the food was horrible, I could barely eat any of it!" Karin claimed. Sakura glared at her.

"That's why you ate all yours and more, huh? Apparently you didn't learn any manners. When someone feeds you, you say thank you and don't complain," Sakura stated still giving Karin a death stare.

"Whatever, I'm going to eat," She said and stalked out of the door, slamming it behind her. Sakura sighed again. She had been doing that a lot lately. She turned to look at Sasuke who was still sitting on the couch next to her.

"She's annoying. Did I use to be that bad, Sasuke?" Sasuke looked at her.

"I thought you were the worst, until I met her," Sakura laughed. She nodded.

"Good, at least I wasn't _that_ bad," she said. He smirked.

"You're still annoying," he stated. She laughed again.

"In a good or bad way, Sasuke-kun?" she said as she slid closer next to him. He smirked wider.

"Hn…" _Good. _He grunted as he lent in to kiss her soft pink lips, which she accepted eagerly. Sasuke suddenly pick her up and carried her bridal style to the master bedroom and threw her onto the bed. He turned around quickly to close the door and locked it. As he turned back to her, Sakura could see the erection he already had through his pants. She giggled at him.

"Are you _that _ready for me?" she asked. He looked down and smirked back at her.

"You have no idea," he said as he crawled on top of Sakura and began to kiss her again with more passion. Their tongues searched each other's mouths, while the undressed each other. Sakura still couldn't believe that she finally had the man she loved in her grasp. If there was one good thing that came out of this horrid month, it was that she was with him.

She gasped as he gently tugged on her nipple. He laughed softly, hotly; Then began to tease her other one as he lick it. Sakura arched her back to let him get better access. She felt so hot and wet. She was ready. She pushed him off her, abruptly. He looked confused and shocked at the sudden movement. She got up off the bed and walked to him, harshly slamming him against the wall while grinning mischievously.

Sakura grabbed his face and slammed her mouth down onto his, before moving down to his toned abs, that had numerous scars, and then further down until she got to her destination. She smiled up at him and he looked surprised. He wasn't expecting all that.

She teased him, licking the head. He groaned in response. Sakura peeked up at him and then swallowed him fully which caused him to gasp. She smiled as she went faster, getting his cock wet. After a few minutes, Sasuke couldn't take it any longer. He picked her up and turned her around to bend her over the bed. She grasped the blankets as he slid his way into her. She moaned.

This is what she loved, the fullness. He fit perfectly, like a key in a lock. Sasuke was thinking the same thing. He groaned.

"So tight…" he said as he moved faster and faster. Sakura couldn't help but moan loudly. She didn't care if Karin came back into the room right now, she would be as loud as she wanted to be. She'd love to see the look on her face anyway.

Sasuke gripped her hips as he kept thrusting into her. He decided. _She is mine._ He groaned louder as Sakura screamed as her walls strengthened around him and that was all it took for him find his own release. They stayed like that for a few seconds, and then he slowly pulled out of her and fell on the bed beside her. She rolled over on her back.

"Again, Wow."

"Hn," he laughed. She was suddenly being pulled towards him. He grabbed his cherry blossom and held her close. She wasn't expecting the close contact, but she accepted it. She could hear his heartbeat through his chest. She smiled as she listened to the rhythm and Sasuke's breathing.

As she lay there she began to wonder. What was going on between them. She didn't want to assume anything but there was definitely something. She was sure he wouldn't just _hold anyone_ the way he was holding her right now. She sighed.

"You okay?" He asked, lifting her head up to meet his gaze. She thought for a moment.

"Um, well, I'm just a little confused as to what is going on between us," she said breaking their eye contact. He thought for a moment as she rested her chin on his muscular chest.

"Hmm…. It is a little difficult to say anything right now. If Orochimaru found out about this, he would use you against me in the worst ways. I don't want you getting hurt for my selfishness. So I think we should leave that question unanswered," he said carefully, looking down at her. He say the hurt look in her eyes, but she understood. She nodded. "Just until all this mess is over with," he added. She smiled.

"Okay," she said as she started to get up. She got up, put her clothes back on. He stared at her beautiful figure as she dressed. She smiled at him when she caught him. "Like the view, Sasuke-kun?"

He smirked and got up, butt naked. He walked towards her backing her up against a wall. Sakura blushed when he pressed his body up next to her. "Like what you feel, Sa-ku-ra?" She gulped deeply.

"Uh… yes, but I think we should be presentable when Karin gets back. His face turn serious and he nodded. He didn't need that pester to go telling Orochimaru that they were intimate. He quickly dressed as Sakura went back out to the couch to get her bed ready. She smiled thinking to herself.

She had a feeling…. Everything was going to work out great. Eventually, anyway.

**Again, sorry for the wait. I hope this was a good chapter. Let me know what you think. Thanks again for still reading. **

**Broken-Heart-Crossing!**


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